The Destiny in The Feeling
by Kalida
Summary: Booth just stood there dumbstruck. Wondering when life had moved so fast. And he realized for the very first time, how painful being happy for someone else can be.
1. The Feeling in The Gut

A/N: This is my first story. So, please be kind. And just in case, you are ready to fling rotten tomatoes at me, I'm a die-hard B/B fan. They are meant to be together, and so they will be together in my story.

Disclaimer : I do not own Bones.

Seriously! Dude, do you really think I would be writing this if I owned Bones?

* * *

THE FEELING IN THE GUT

* * *

. . . . . . .

He sighed for the hundredth time of the day. He hated not having clarity of thoughts. Of course, he spouted off the superiority of gut rather than logical thought process, but he always wanted his gut to speak clearly to him. And it always did. Or rather it used to. Now-a-days, his gut was sending him a lot of mixed signals leaving him confused and disoriented. But what confuses him the most is not all these 'mixed signals' but rather the fact that he doesn't know whether it is his gut telling him these things or his heart or his brain.

He didn't want to think. Not right now. Actually, he didn't want to think at all. But that would be impossible, wouldn't it?

_Our brain is processing facts and performing a variety of biological involuntary operations even when we are sleeping, Booth. It would simply be impossible to stop thinking._

No, no, no, no, no… He was not going to think about _her_ right now. Nope. Not at all. It was all in his past. The past that is over. He _loved_ his partner. Loved. Notice the past tense. He is now in love with a beautiful, successful, smart, warm and caring woman.

_But that doesn't stop you from loving her too._

No, don't go there. He is not in love with his partner. He is definitely not… He still cares for her. He always will. And that's all there is. And he is in love with Hannah. He is.

Love.

Such a confusing word, isn't it? Who actually knows what love is? Some say it is letting go, others say it is holding on. People could always write thousands and thousands of articles, stories, poems on love but no one could ever figure it out. No one could define it. Not even geniuses. Then, how can he?

The thing which confuses him the most is that he knew. He _knew_. He knew that he was destined to be with her. He was destined to grow old with her. To love her for thirty, forty, fifty years… _He knew_. But after about just a year of separation from her, he could find someone whom he loves. A person whom he loves dearly. Someone who is smart, funny, determined, passionate and brave. He loves someone else now. Does that mean he was wrong about his gut feeling? Or was his gut wrong?

Was he wrong then? Or is he wrong now?

And to top it all off his gut isn't really speaking to him these days. Of course, he has still got that knack to know when a person is lying and when someone is a criminal but… it doesn't help in other matters.

_What __'other matters', Seeley? Love?_

He really gotta stop thinking over this stupid stuff. He is back. He is happy and everything is back to normal. He feels calm and content to have love, a wonderful son, friends and work. He does. Except occasionally he feels restless and tired. As if, though everything is back to normal, the normal has shifted. And he is not sure whether he is comfortable with that.

He really should concentrate on the good stuff. He has a wonderful son whom he is seeing after a long time. He has a beautiful girlfriend whom he loves and who loves him. He has got a genius partner who is happy for him. And a team of super-scientists who'll help him catch the bad guys as well as being his supplementary family. He has got everything. But…

It is just that, he doesn't know what this means. He has half the mind to take a page from Bones' book and say – _I don't know what that means._

Was his gut wrong? Did he delude himself into thinking that he _knew_? Or did he just misinterpret his gut? God! He has been hanging around with the squints too long. When did he start using words like 'misinterpret'?

He… He doesn't know what this means. He really doesn't. Was she right in pushing him away? Maybe she was. He himself just gave her evidence that she was right.

. . . . . . .

_You all want to lose yourself in another person. You believe that love is transcendent and eternal. I want to believe that, too._

_Hey, you will. I promise. Someday you will._

. . . . . . .

_Emotional ties are ephemeral and undependable._

. . . . . . .

Was his feelings ephemeral?

No, it wasn't. It isn't. A part of him will still love her. Probably till his death. But, he had moved on. He had to. He knew that if he was persistent enough, maybe she would have given him a chance. But, even then she would be protecting herself... He would always try to bring down her walls because he doesn't want anything between them and she would always erect new ones. He cannot let his whole life be an attempt at bringing down her walls. He cannot let himself be obsessed with her. He cannot let himself go down that path where you take a risk everyday but you never truly win. He cannot let his whole life be a struggle. It is not healthy. Isn't that what the people say? If your relationship is nothing but a big struggle, it is time to let go. It is not healthy if all you do is hurt each other. And so, he did what he had to do. For both of their sake's. He had to let go…

And he found something wonderful when he did. He found Hannah. And for the first time in a long time, he felt at ease. He felt care-free. It was easy falling in love with her. And it was easy maintaining that too. He didn't have to struggle each day. He didn't have to go to a war with her emotional fortresses every day. And he felt happy. He didn't feel inadequate or intense sadness. He felt useful and young and loved. Isn't that what love is?

Yes.

He sighs for one more time. But it has a smile hidden in it. It is a sigh of relief. He feels that he had figured this out. He wishes that Hannah was here right now. He wants to forget all this misery business and smile and laugh and be care-free. And she helps him do that. He smiles. He had figured this mess out. This is right. This is how it should be. This is how it is. Right?

Yet, somewhere in the back of his mind, a question lingers. Was his gut wrong? Or…

He hears the door swing open.

"Hey, I'm back!"

He hears the feminine voice float into the room. He immediately smiles and turns around.

This is easy. Comfortable.

"You know, I had a gut feeling that you were gonna walk-in through that doors right now."

"Well… what can I say?" She chuckles. "Your gut is never wrong."

He failed to notice that she had just answered his question.

. . . . . . .

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A/N: Would you like to review?


	2. The Rage in The Artist

A/N: Thank You to all who reviewed (especially BoothyBones) as well as to those who added the story to their alerts. I would like to assure you that this fiction is B/B 110%.

Please overlook any grammar/spelling errors as my mother-tongue is not English. It is not even my second language, it is my third language. Also, if any of the facts in this chapter is not in accordance with season 6, please forgive me. I haven't seen even a single episode of the sixth season, as it is season 5 which is airing at this part of the world. I'm not spoiler-free so give me nits and bits of season 6 and you'll leave me pretty happy.

Please read and review. This is my first fanfic and your reviews are my source of energy right now.

Warning: There will be lots & lots of drama. I blame it on the Bollywood films.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. (Duh). No copyright infringement intended.

I think the chapter title is self-explanatory. I mean, come on, had I been Angela I would have set Booth on fire. To the story...

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THE RAGE IN THE ARTIST

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. . . . . . .

Cam was feeling nervous. She never interfered into the personal lives of her colleagues. Okay, maybe that was a lie. They were such a close-knit group that they were practically a family. So, like every family, they offered unsolicited advice to each other and poked their noses into each other's business and supported each other in times of crises, but this was taking it to a whole new level. She never actually _interfered_.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this." Cam muttered, only to be met by a death glare from her partner in crime.

"You can't back out now, Cam... I need this. I mean, are you really gonna let this go on?"

"This is his personal life, Angela. We shouldn't interfere. He is happy now. Can't we just let this be?" Cam asked, even though she knew it is not going to sway the determined artist.

"Oh... He is happy? Is that it? Well, what about Bren? Doesn't she have the right to be happy too? Have you seen her these days? I needn't be a psychologist to understand that the look on her face is that of heart-break. She's heartbroken. Don't you care about that, Cam? " Angela fumed. The look on her face was close to homicidal.

_Pregnancy_, thought Cam. "I care about her too, Angela. But this is just... this is crazy."

"That is exactly the reason why I asked you to _just_ get him to come here alone, without Brennan or Hannah. You just have to get him here. I'll handle the rest. I'm just gonna confront him."

"Yeah, I know... He's coming. You asked me to get him to the lab alone. I did that. I'll walk out the moment he comes. The rest is between you guys. I am not a part of it." She sighed. "Just for the record, I'm doing this only for Dr. Brennan."

"Yeah, and not because you wanna see me grill Booth." Angela said with a knowing smile on her face.

Cam knew better than this. But, sometimes a woman's gotta do what she has gotta do. Right? Still, she can't believe that she had somehow managed to get Dr. Brennan away from the lab and Booth into the lab. She really needed some sort of acclamation for managing the lab; it was tougher than raising a teenage daughter.

"Hey... What have you got for me, Cam?" A distinctly masculine voice resonated in the lab.

Both of the women turned around just in time to see Booth come into the lab.

"Angela." replied Cam. "I've got Angela. She wants to talk to you."

Turning to Angela she muttered in one breath. "I did my part. And I'm out of here. This is between you guys." She got up and picked her purse to leave.

"What's between me and Angela?" asked a confused voice.

Angela wasted no time and plunged head-on. "Really, Booth? You are gonna play dumb? I don't need to be a master interrogator to make you admit it." Angela jabbed his chest with her forefinger while leaning into him so much that she was practically breathing in his face. "I'm really pissed right now, so you better start talking, NOW!"

"Uh... What? Why?... What is going on?" Booth leans back into a comfortable distance while eyeing Cam with a confused look.

Cam sighs. She should've escaped when she had the chance. She places her hands on Angela's shoulder to pacify her. "Listen Angela – "

"NO! You listen to me. This man standing right here broke my best friend's heart after forcing her to open up. So, give me one good reason as to why I shouldn't let Jack's crazy flesh-eating beetles upon him right now. "

"Angela, you have no idea what is going on, so it's better –" Booth's voice had a slightly threatening edge to it. As if finally, finally his patience worn out.

Cam was actually surprised that Booth didn't play dumb and exercised his usual routine in denial. _He must have been thinking about it. _Her thoughts were interrupted by Angela's rant.

"So, it's better what? That I should shut up and not speak what I feel, like everyone in this whole goddamn frigging LAB? I will not shut up, okay? Everybody around here wants to punch you square in the jaw, Booth. And I'm not sure I can hold onto my self-restraint too long... Hey! I've got an excuse too... I'm pregnant! I can blame it on the hormones. So, you better not test _my_ patience, G-Man. What do you think you are doing?"

"Angela, calm down..." Cam mutters trying to disengage Angela and Booth who were currently having a staring contest.

"Your patience, huh? What about me? Does no one care about me? What about my patience?" Booth steps back a few inches... There is a wild, raw and bitter look about him as he smirks. "I am doing the best, I can. Angela. And do not act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure, you do."

. . . . . . .

Cam had seen many things in life. Pretty gruesome things. It was not every day someone sees their ex-fiancé's partially decomposed dead body on an autopsy table or a young bride's corpse plastered onto cardboard or JFK's remains or a corpse with horns and a tail, but one thing she had never expected was to see Booth smirk bitterly. Booth smirking bitterly at Angela. Booth was definitely not the kind of guy who was bitter.

"What about my patience?" He smirked bitterly. "I am doing the best, I can. Angela. And do not act like you don't know what I'm talking about. I'm pretty sure, you do."

"Your patience? I don't see _you_ looking broken while working on cases from limbo." Angela was not ready to back down. She was doing this for Brennan. This weird dance the two partners had been doing around each other was amusing at first but it is time to stop this nonsense. Seven years is just too long. "I don't see you looking at those nasty skeletons with trust and love because that is the only thing you could trust yourself with. I don't see you plastering a fake smile to your face so that everybody would be happy. You... You're the one who came back with a blonde bimbo in your arm!"

"ANGELA!" The outraged shriek was from Cam. She knew that whatever was going to happen wouldn't be pretty if Angela personally attacked Hannah.

"You shouldn't have said that." Booth said his voice extremely low. As if it was a threat, a warning.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I like Hannah. She's a nice girl –"

"Woman" Booth corrects.

"She's a nice _girl_."Angela continued talking as if he hadn't interrupted her. "But she is not the one for you, Booth. I think you know that better than I do."

"No! I love her. I really love her. Okay? What makes you think I don't? Please enlighten me. Put it all out in the open."

"Listen, guys. I think it's better if we leave it at that..." Cam said trying to dissolve the tension and preventing this situation from deteriorating further.

"No, Cam... He wants it all out in the open; we'll put it all out in the open." Angela said. Her eyes clearly gleaming with rage and disdain. Her mocking voice putting out a silent challenge.

"Yeah, let's do that." He replied taking up the challenge.

"She loves you. Brennan loves you."

"No, she doesn't."

"Yes, she does. You know it... I know it. God! Half of D.C. knows it, Booth. So, we can either play dumb or maybe... just _maybe_ we can move forward."

A long awkward and tense silence followed where Angela and Booth just stared at each other. Cam stood beside them, her eyes flicking to both of their faces. The tension in the air was so thick that she found it difficult to breathe. She knew that the last thing she wanted was the two immensely passionate 'heart-people' to fight with each other. Brennan was already in a tight spot, she wouldn't need her two best friends to be mad at each other. Cam stood there frozen. Just like the other two occupants of the room. Uncertain. Unmoving.

"Fine... Maybe she does. So what?"

Angela just stared at him open-mouthed. Cam was pretty sure she had dislocated her jaw too.

"EXCUSE ME? Did you just say 'So what?' I can't believe this..." Angela screeched. Isn't this what he always wanted? Her love? And here he is standing in front of her after admitting that he knows that Brennan loves him. As if it wasn't a big deal. She was startled out of her thoughts by Cam's voice.

"WHAT?" Cam asked, her mouth still open, looking as if she had just gotten out of her shock.

"I said, that maybe you're right. Maybe... Bones loves me. So what?" Booth replied trying to hold his gaze steady. "It... It doesn't change anything. I-I'm in love with Hannah. Bones understands that... She is happy. I-I'm happy. Everybody's happy. So that changes nothing."

"So what, huh? I'll show you what." Angela says stepping forward and raising her hand to slap him.

"ANGELA! .ENOUGH!" Cam shouts with a look that leaves no room for arguments, an authoritative look that clearly states that she is the boss. She turns to Booth and with a disbelieving chuckle asks, "God! Seeley, What the hell did they do to you in Afghanistan?"

. . . . . . .

Cam turns to Booth with a disbelieving chuckle and asks, "God! Seeley, What the hell did they do to you in Afghanistan?"

And for a second, he is stunned. He is not sure how to answer that. He _knows_ he has changed. _For the better_. He has changed for the better. He can't just keep taking wild risks and go on hunches any longer. He needs stability. He needs assurance. And he found it in Afghanistan. Or was it here in D.C on the night she broke his heart? Anyway, he has decided that he has had enough. And Special Agent Seeley Joseph Booth was not someone who went back on his decisions.

"I... I grew up, I guess." He muttered, so low that even he couldn't hear himself clearly. _This can't be._ He cannot let a year of effort crumble to pieces when confronted by two women. Though one of the women was his oldest and longest friends and the other one was as intuitive and vicious as a bloodhound. He straightens his back, looks directly into Cam's eyes and says, "Nothing. I just fell in love. Ever heard of it? It's something that happens to everyone at some point of their life. Or at least to everyone who isn't emotionally stunted!"

"Did you just call Bren emotionally stunted? Because that is not the Booth I know."

"I did not call Bones that, Angela. Stop reading between the lines." He can't handle this. He has moved forward. He has moved on. Why can't they just leave him alone?

"So, you fell in love, huh?" It was Cam who spoke. She just totally ignored the little exchange between Angela and Booth. She crossed her arms, smirked and with one eyebrow raised waited for Booth's reply.

He felt uneasy. Cam had a look about her that he used to have when he was interrogating and he knew that the suspect was lying. The look that showed that he was onto something. Cam had always had the uncanny ability to notice even the tiniest minutiae. That along with the fact that she was onto something did not bear well for Booth.

"Yes, I'm in love. With Hannah. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll believe it." She said.

"Listen Cam, Angela... You guys are my friends, alright? You guys have to be happy for me. That's what friends do. At least make an effort to _look_ happy for me."

"Yes, we are. We are your friends, Seeley. And we do feel happy for you. We really do. But the happiness we feel is proportionate to the happiness you feel. So yeah, we feel _this much_ happy for you." Cam said holding up her thumb and forefinger about a centimetre apart. "Because that is the amount of happiness you are feeling right now. But, you know what? Dr. Brennan is our friend. Our pretty good friend. And we feel the sadness which is proportionate to her sorrow. Which is this much." She said holding her arms wide open. She shook her head in disbelief. _How can he be so blind?_ "She's heart-broken, Seeley. Why is it so hard for you to see that?"

"That is not true, _Camille_." He sneers.

"Do not bullshit me, Booth. You know me better than that." She replied.

"I-I'm not. I just... Just let me be... Alright? Leave me alone. I'm happy. She's happy. Why the hell can't you two just stay out of my personal life, huh? You gotta stop... I-I'm gonna go. This isn't worth it." Booth muttered. He had better things to do right now. Like solve a murder. Have a take-out dinner with Bo-Hannah. _Take out dinner with Hannah._ With Hannah.

"Do you remember when you told me that you love Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked earning a surprised gasp from the stunned artist.

"WHAT? When?" Angela asked. Obviously upset that she has missed this important piece of information.

"_Camille_..." He growled.

"Just answer the goddamn question, _Seeley_. Do you or do you not remember the time you told me that you where in love with Dr. Brennan?" Cam asked again. Her eyes staring into Booth's brown eyes. Unblinking.

"Yes." He muttered. "But I don't see how that's got anything to do with this. People fall in as well as _out_ of love, Cam."

"Do you remember what I told to you then?" Cam persists without bothering to provide Booth with an answer.

"Yes… Yes I do." He barks, quickly losing his patience. "I really don't know what that has got to do with anything, Cam. Anything. I've moved on. Alright?"

"You've moved on? From what?" Angela asked, even though she had a sort-of idea about what happened between the two partners. Almost everyone in the lab did. For Heaven's sakes! They solve murders for a living! It is not that they are completely clueless; they just pretended to let them figure it out on their own.

Booth sighed. Maybe it is best that he goes all in. Perhaps it is time that they know too. "I asked Bones, whether we could be… I don't know, more than partners, I guess. But… but she turned me down. She-She doesn't feel that way. Or maybe she doesn't allow herself to feel that way. Anyways, it doesn't matter. The fact is, it was all in the past and we've both moved on."

"Yeah we figured." Cam muttered.

"Really, how?" Booth asked, genuinely interested.

"Well, suddenly you break your fast and go on dates with gorgeous women AND suddenly the sexually-open Dr. Brennan who dates guys just for the sake of sex starts worrying about sex-codes with Andrew Hacker. Well, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to put two and two together. And we're quite literally scientists."

"Oh."

"Yeah… Oh. Which brings me back to my previous question – Do you remember what I told you then?"

"Cam, where are you going with this?" asked Angela tugging onto Cam's sleeve. Turning to her, Cam replied. "Just trust me on this, Angela."

"So, do you?" She asked again to Booth.

"Yeah, I do."

"What was it?"

"You told me that I should wait until I was sure I'm back. And all this was not just some coma-induced craze before I tell Bones." Booth said in a flat even tone. It was obvious he was trying to rein in some of his emotions. Whether it was anger or sorrow, she didn't know.

"Wrong. You are wrong, Seeley... I advised you to forget the bruised brain and go with the lion heart. But I also said that you have to be sure about your feelings because if you crack that shell, and you change your mind, she'll die of loneliness before she'll ever trust anyone ever again. That's what I said. It had nothing to do with coma or dreams or forgetting of striped socks." Cam said a sad smile adorning her face. As if she can't believe all this has gone so wrong.

"Wha-What do you mean?" Booth asked his voice almost child-like. Because for the first time he gets a feeling that maybe he has screwed things up. He feels that he _is_ getting the point Cam is trying to make.

Cam smiled. And almost as if she were explaining to a child, she said, "I told you the thing that makes you a good cop had nothing to do with socks and belt buckles. The same goes for the things that make you... you! I already told you that you were back, Seeley. When I told you to be sure about your feelings, I didn't mean to say that you had those feelings because of a coma-induced dream. I just wanted you to be sure that you could handle it. Because, God knows, being with Brennan isn't going to be easy. It is going to be a fight. But, you know what? You are a fighter, Booth."

"What I meant was..." Cam sighed. She felt bad that she hadn't explained this to him more clearly then. Because maybe if she had done that all this could've been avoided. But, she was pretty angry too. Booth was the one who touted the supremacy of his gut and the knowledge of 'his Bones'. He should've known this too. "Anyone... And I mean absolutely anyone who has known Brennan for just ten minutes would know that she is afraid of commitment and love... And she cares for you so deeply, Seeley. A friendship & partnership that just seems to extend seamlessly. So, anyone with half a brain would know that she was gonna say no if you asked her out, Booth even though she loved you enough to give you the world. She was gonna say no due to her fear of ruining the one good thing she has in her life. The only constant in her life... Your partnership... You. Dr. Brennan is the kind of person who believes that love ends in tears and separation, she wouldn't want that to happen to you. Because she knows that as much as she needs you, you need her too. So, she was gonna say 'no' the first time, Seeley. But, you should have stuck around to show that love can be forever. Eternal not ephemeral. You, her best-friend, her confidante, her partner, should have stuck around to show that you were there for her should she change her mind. So, that she could have proof that love... at least your love wasn't just gonna fade away. But... you... You did just the opposite. You... her partner of five years... you cracked her shell. But she wasn't ready. You left her there and found someone else who was easy to love. And now what is she going to do? Die of loneliness before she trusts anyone else ever again?"

Cam was more than frustrated these days. She had missed her make-shift family. Dearly. It was like a part of her body was cut-off and she had to manage with whatever was left. And when they _did_ come back, somehow every relationship seemed dysfunctional and awkward. Perhaps because the centre did not hold. But, there was only so much pressure a woman could take. She had to vent it all out somewhere. She really didn't mean to lash it out on Booth. But, she was already sick and tired of playing their little mating ritual. She just wanted to skip to the last page of the book. But in her effort to get the point across his thick skull she didn't notice the effect her words had on Booth.

Booth looked definitely pale. Almost as if he had stopped breathing and slipped into unconsciousness a few moments ago. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused and staring right through her. He looked like he was about to be sick any minute.

"Booth... Are you okay?" The question had come from Angela, whose voice was laden with concern. Best friend's heartbreaker or not, Booth was her friend too.

He blinked twice and looked at Angela as if he had just come out of a trance. He cleared his throat and said "Yeah, I'm fine, Angela." Still, his voice sounded hoarse and raw.

He nervously ran his hands through his hair. Cleared his throat once more. "So what was I supposed to do, huh?" He asked.

"Just tell me... What the HELL am I supposed to do? Wait for her my whole goddamn life?'" He pants roughly, gesturing wildly with his hand. "Wait for however long it takes? Ten years? Twenty years? Wait all those years with a broken pride and a broken heart?" His voice was breaking up but he continued. "You know what? I would've gladly done that if you can _assure_ me that she will change her mind at some point of time. But, you have to assure me. Can you? I am supposed to wait for my whole goddamn frigging life when she may not even change her mind? She will always put up those walls... Always... I can't use my entire life to try and bring those down. I... I-I just can't... Okay?"

"Would it have any effect if I told you that I'm fairly certain that Bren loves you, now?" Angela asked. She didn't know what to do. Whether to scratch and claw Booth for putting Brennan through all this pain or to give a tight slap to Bren to make her see sense.

"No... No, no, no! No, Angela. The moment has passed. It doesn't matter, now." Booth sighed. He felt as if he had run a 100-mile marathon. Exhausted was an understatement. He didn't know emotional exhaustion could amount to this much. He mutters. "The point is I'm happy now with Hannah. And I deserve that. I deserve happiness and love. I want to feel loved and cared for. I deserve that. So... So just _please_ be happy for me. Hannah is a wonderful woman; you'll love her if you allow yourselves to. I'd be really glad if you could be happy for me. Because I am happy."

The silence that followed was long and tense. Suddenly, Angela spoke, "You are happy, Booth. But are you ecstatic? Because that would be how you feel if you were with Bren. Of course, there would be moments of immense sorrow and intense rage, but isn't that what love is? Feeling everything ten times as intense. So that your life would be memorable and beautiful and passionate? Isn't that love, sweetie?"

Booth's phone beeped twice, as always it had impeccable timing. He checked it and said, "We found out where the suspect is hiding, I-I gotta go." And as he turned to leave, Cam called out.

"Seeley... If Dr. Brennan was the love of your life, shouldn't a lifetime of wait be worth it, even when you aren't sure of the results? Just... Just food for your thoughts." Cam said raising her arms in a mock surrender and shaking her head.

Booth just ignored what she said or pretended to ignore it. He walked out of the lab while making some calls.

"Yes, we've got a lead on the suspect, Bones. Yeah, I'll pick you up in ten..."

Angela turned to Cam with raised eyebrows as Booth's voice faded out of the lab. "Wow! I'm really impressed Dr. Saroyan. You should've been a cop. I mean, come on! You almost got G-Man breaking up." She has got that teasing smile on her face.

"Yeah... Sometimes a woman's gotta do what she gotta do, right?" Cam asks, smiling.

"Yeah, plus it would be a cardinal sin according to the unwritten rules of best-friendship to not give hell to a man who just broke your best friend's heart!" Angela had that suggestive look on her face as she said. "I have to admit, Cam. That was hot! I mean, if I hadn't been married to Jack and carrying his baby, I would have been so totally into you."

"Oh-kay! I'm gonna take that as a compliment while totally ignoring the weird-factor." Cam said with an uneasy smile. "I really gotta get back to Michelle."

She turned to leave. Wow, she would pick raising a teenage daughter over managing the lab, any day.

. . . . . . .

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A/N : I know, the characters seem so out of character. But I have been trying my hand at the jerk-ish and bitter Booth of Season 6. Also, this is the best quality that I can produce when I'm sitting up at 2.00 am to write this. Please, forgive if Angela is not pregnant in season 6. I heard rumours that she is, and loved it, so I included it in my story.

Please please review. Tell me whether it was too much drama or whether they seemed totally OOC. Really looking forward to your reviews.

Next week : Brennan's take on things.


	3. The Anthropologist in The Park

A/N: Thank You to all who reviewed as well as to those who added the story to their alerts.

Please overlook any grammar/spelling errors as my mother-tongue is not English.

Also, if any of the facts in this chapter is not in accordance with season 6, please forgive me. I haven't seen even a single episode of the sixth season. . I'm not spoiler-free so give me nits and bits of season 6 and you'll leave me pretty happy.

Warning: Angst and slight OOC-ness. Also a new character!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Had I owned Bones, the perfect little girlfriend (otherwise known by the name Hannah) would have hitched her hindparts back to Afghanistan.

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THE ANTHROPOLOGIST IN THE PARK

* * *

. . . . . . .

She walked towards the park bench while gripping the coffee cup in her hand in a death-grip. Her legs carried her to the wrought-iron bench as if she was on auto-pilot. She couldn't feel herself walking. It was almost as if she was floating onto the bench. Of course, that simple notion itself was ridiculous. _Gravity is a universal force and it would be impossible to float unless you provide sufficient thrust to overcome the gravitational force_. But, the writer in her decided that floating could be an accurate description of how she is feeling right now. She sat down, crossed her legs and took a sip of the coffee.

The hot coffee seared her throat. But she reveled in it. At least, she was feeling something. Anything. Unlike, the past few days when she felt nothing. Nothing at all. She felt as if all the notions of time and space had been stripped away and she was floating in the void aimlessly. Without anything, without anyone, without any feeling. These past few days she felt as if she was walking through a haze. Not an actual one, of course, a metaphorical one. A metaphorical haze so thick that her senses couldn't perceive and she felt choked. The air had been so thick that on some occasions she found it hard to breathe. Very hard indeed.

Like now. Rationally, she knew that she is in an open space, yet… Yet, irrationally she felt the pangs of claustrophobia that had developed since being buried alive in a car years ago. She felt as if the something very heavy was pressing down from all sides. Like air was scarce and she couldn't breathe. Like she was being entombed alive and buried once again. Everything was so heavy. She can't breathe.

_Well, technically tons of air is pressing down on you from all sides with a weight equivalent to that of three elephants but your blood pressure acts as a counter-weight to this atmospheric pressure, so you shouldn't be able to 'feel' the weight of the air._

Not now, she can't take refuge in science right now. She raised the cup to her mouth and tentatively took another sip. _Bitter_. Yes, bitter, taste it. Any taste is better than none. She hadn't been feeling any taste, smell or sense for some time now. Everything tasted bland. Everything smelled the same. Except the rotten corpses. Ah… those smelled different. Those smelled like purpose. A purpose to live… To hold on.

She gulped. If she wasn't a scientist, she would have vouched that her esophagus and trachea had constricted because she finds it so hard to swallow or even breathe these days. The tiniest piece of salad feels like an iron cube she has to swallow when in her throat. And she was experiencing something very similar to panic attacks. Sometimes, she could feel her heart speed up for no apparent reason. _No sexual arousal, no stress, no life-or-death situation, no adrenaline, no appropriate stimulus at all_. And the whole world seems to go a little bit slower though that is impossible. And she has to live with this continuous dull ache in her chest cavity with occasional sharp pangs in her heart.

Logical as always, she had visited a cardiologist and after a number of tests, she was assured that she was healthy. _At least physically_. So, she had arrived at the conclusion that whatever she was experiencing was a result of the strong emotions that she was feeling now.

She took another sip. Scalding and bitter. The coffee represents her in some way. She smirked... She ran her hand through her hair frustrated. Getting even more frustrated when she found out that her hand had been shaking.

She was Dr. Temperance Brennan. She didn't waste her time sitting on a park bench thinking about her physiological and emotional reactions when she could be offering invaluable advice to the FBI which would help them catch the murderer faster. She didn't wallow in self-pity when she could be utilizing her time much more productively. She was Dr. Temperance Brennan – world's finest forensic anthropologist and a best-selling author... She was Dr. Temperance Brennan... Dr. Temperance Brennan.

She got up suddenly. She wasn't aimless. She was going to go back to the lab and work on some cases from limbo. But as soon as she got up, she could feel her legs shaking and a strong sense of nausea gripped her, so much that she had to sit back down immediately.

She hated this indeterminate state. She hated feeling weak, aimless and sad. She wasn't the kind of woman who left her professional life behind due to some problems in her personal life. _What personal life? I have no personal life. _She hated this… She really did. She hated the fact that she felt a sense of perennial nausea. She hated the fact that her cheeks hurt so much from planting on that fake smile. She hated the fact that her eyes stung. She hated the fact that she felt disoriented most of the time. She hated feeling heart-broken. _Heart-crushed. Heart is a muscle, it cannot be broken, only crushed_…

She downed the rest of the bitter coffee in one go. These days she felt that everything was slipping away. Like her life was slipping out of her hands. _That is, if life was a metaphorical construct that could be held in her hands_. She bent down and rested her head on her knees.

_**It was that damn kiss**__**... It all started with that damned kiss...**_

. . . . . . .

Dr. Temperance Brennan may not have what many people consider as empathy or social etiquette. But she was not dumb. She knew herself and she knew why she acted. And so she knew that logically, like any other creature she cannot be logical all the time. Perfection does not exist. So, like any other human being, she also acted irrationally sometimes. But, the first time she made some irrational decision in her adult life was when regarding to her current FBI-partner. Booth… Booth, whom she loved. Booth whom she trusted… _You should have stuck to trusting Science._

All those years back, when she first met Booth… Even though she had known him only for a short time, she abandoned her rationality due to him. She abandoned her rationality for him…

. . . . . . .

_What I wanted to confess was - see, I have a gambling problem but I'm dealing with it._

_Why did you feel you had to tell me that?_

_I don't know. I just feel like, um, this is going somewhere..._

_Why did you feel this is going somewhere?_

_I just - I feel like I'm gonna kiss you..._

And for a few moments, their lips meld into each other. And for the first time in their life, both of them experience what one of them would later call as magic…

_Wow._

_We are not spending the night together._

_Of course we are. Why?_

_Tequila._

. . . . . . .

_Tequila_. She couldn't have come up with a more lame excuse. The truth is… Oh! How will she ever explain the truth?

Temperance Brennan was a creature of habit. Someone who depended on rationality and science rather than temporary feelings caused by the release of certain chemicals in your brain, which will fade away later and you will only be left with regret if you chose to act upon it.

So, when Dr. Temperance Brennan first saw Special Agent Seeley Joseph Booth, she could immediately recognize from the breadth of his shoulders and strong jaw line that he had the potential to be a very skillful sexual partner. She definitely wouldn't mind sleeping with him. His easy candor and confidence were additional traits that made his personality pleasing and she could definitely have a short affair with him.

But, he definitely seemed liked the kind of guy who settled for serious relationships. Well, she could have a short affair and when he gets clingy or needy she could just say that she wasn't ready for a relationship and end it. It wouldn't be like she used him. Obviously, he would also benefit from this. The sex would be very enjoyable. He would enjoy it immensely, if his attraction to her was any indicator. She was pretty sure about it.

And that is why, the moment the man said that she was fired, she proposed that they could have sex. And so, they run out and he said to her that he had a gambling problem but he was dealing with it. Her notions about him were confirmed. He wanted to have a relationship.

But, she was still not queasy about the whole idea. She didn't think that she would irreparably damage him or something. They barely knew each other. After their one night stand, they will go their separate ways. Even if he was hurt, it would be only temporarily. Logic says that a person looks for his/her immediate gratification rather than worrying about the feelings of a person they barely knew.

But, then… That kiss. _That damn kiss._ And something deep within her stirred. And then each inch of her mind and body protested to her sleeping with him. She had never felt something so momentous and sudden in her entire life till then. And so, quite irrationally, when they pull apart for air she ran to the cab and got into it. And when he asked for her reason, she muttered one word "_Tequila_".

Yes, it must have been the Tequila that made her lose her rationality. Not, Booth… Definitely not Booth.

The next day, when she saw him she was furious. She hated him. She hated him with the fire of a thousand suns. She hated him for making her lose her objectivity and rationality. And so, when he called her "Bones" again, she retorted "Don't call me Bones." Because she was not Bones. Bones was the crazy forensic anthropologist who let go of her rationality and objectivity and lost a perfect chance of having sexual intercourse with a very sexually appealing man because _something in her gut told her that he was not a one-night stand_. No, she was not that woman. She was Dr. Temperance Brennan who could remain objective and acted rationally. She was Dr. Temperance Brennan, not Bones…

. . . . . . .

Now, when she look back upon the whole incident she doesn't know whether to be grateful or not for the fact that they did not sleep together. Because, had they slept together, the old Temperance Brennan would have ended the affair before it ever had a chance to bloom. And, Booth probably with his pride would never ask her to work with him ever again. And they would have parted their ways, then and there. Booth wouldn't have been her partner of 5 years, her confidant, her best friend and the one person she trusts implicitly.

But then again, if that happened, she would have been spared this heart-break (_or heart-crush, whatever_) that she is experiencing right now. She remembered him, even after a year, because she remembered why she hated him. He made her lose her objectivity. So, when he called her Bones, she said "Do not call me Bones." But, then she went and did the one thing she promised to herself that she wouldn't do – act irrationally. She asked him to take her into the field. To make her his partner, even though she knew how that went the last time.

And she found herself losing her rationality. For him. Always for him… And so she didn't mind being called Bones. She was the woman who was the world's finest forensic anthropologist, a best-selling author, partner to an FBI agent named Seeley Booth and who occasionally acted irrationally for her FBI partner. She was Bones…

The problem was she grew accustomed to being Bones. And she found herself trusting this FBI agent implicitly. And even grow to love him. And so, after being partners for about four years and loving him for about two and a half years, she asks him to donate his sperm. To give her a part of him. A part of him that she will love and cherish forever. So that she could remember and love him even when he moves on and later marries someone else. A piece of his heart that she could claim as hers. Angela believes that a person is connected to another through a child in a much more profound way than marriage. But then… Brain tumor… coma… a coma dream…a book… a psychic…

And before she could even understand what was going on, she could see that Booth was going to act on that attraction that they both had felt since the moment they set their eyes on each other. Her book, his coma dream must have convinced him that he was in love with her. And though she knew that she loved him and probably he loved her, she also knew that it shouldn't happen. 'They' shouldn't happen.

She _knew_. Just like he said he knew. They both knew. That they were something momentous. Something that was profound… Something that could give a new meaning to their life or destroy their chance of ever getting happiness. But… But they weren't compatible. More than that, she didn't have an open heart. She doesn't have an open heart.

She could never love someone fully or completely erase her scars or completely bring down her emotional fortresses… She just couldn't. She wasn't emotionally capable. She wasn't socially adept. She had an extremely high IQ, many doctorates and she was the best forensic anthropologist. But… she couldn't love openly. Hers was the ugly kind of love – which was selfish and secret. She couldn't offer a happily-ever-after. Because she didn't believe in that. She didn't believe in God. She didn't believe that love could triumph over everything. She didn't believe that love and affection should come before rationality and science. She could never in her heart love someone blindly without any restraints. Because she was afraid… She had been hurt too many times… Too many times… She had been given proof that love doesn't last. How can she now believe that love will last when it had been proved otherwise?

She knew that love never lasted for a lifetime… It was just chemicals… And so, even if she and Booth had gotten together, what would have happened if one day Booth wakes up to see that he doesn't love her anymore. Would he leave? She wouldn't mind that, as long as Booth was happy. But what she was afraid of was that Booth would stay. Booth would stay because of his sense of obligation and because of his fear of damaging her psyche. And that would be unacceptable. It shouldn't happen. Because Booth deserves the best. He definitely shouldn't settle for the second-best situation… He deserves something more… He deserves someone so beautiful, loving and glorious… He deserves the fairy-tale ending. She doesn't deserve him. She is just gonna hurt him with her insecurities and hyper-rational emotionally stunted self.

Or something even worse could happen… What if she and Booth had gotten together and then at some point she realized that she doesn't love him anymore? It would have devastated Booth. Booth was loyal and a 'heart-guy'. Even if she could have stayed to ensure Booth's happiness, Booth deserved the love of someone who loves him 100%. He deserved someone who could assure that they wouldn't leave him and loved him till the end of time.

Whereas she… She was someone who left people and places behind when things got tough. She could never assure him that she would love him forever. There would always be some part of her that she would reserve from Booth… Booth deserved someone who showed him their love and appreciation every day, everywhere. Not someone who got queasy when someone tried to kiss her at her office. Booth needed someone who made him happy and free and young not someone who burdened him from her demons too. Booth needed true love… Pure, untainted love… Whereas her love could only be ugly and selfish with a train of insecurities, fears and demons from the past tugging along…

So, when Booth said that he loved her in their first case back together after the coma, (e_ven though he later added 'in a professional atta-girl sorta way', Temperance Brennan was not stupid_) , Brennan decided that she had to do everything to discourage him from loving her and to discourage him from confessing his feelings towards her.

So she ratted him out to Sweets by telling him about the wrong foot on the steps and coffee in the wrong hand. (Though it was also due to her overriding concern). And she started dating his boss, even though Booth told her that '_It would be weird_!' She tried to show genuine interest in Andrew, but somehow found herself subconsciously trying to impress Booth with her newly learned colloquialisms and pathetic attempt at jokes. And she found herself acting irrationally too. She told Booth that the remains weren't JFK even though she knew there was a good chance that it was. To rectify these misgivings, she feigned interest in whatever Andrew said.

So when Andrew asked, "Did Booth describe to you how I came crashing in through the front doors to rescue you?" Brennan didn't say that she was a self-sufficient woman who could take care of herself and she definitely wasn't in any danger and there was absolutely no need to 'rescue' her... She didn't ramble on about how alpha-males or even more generally male species have a pre-conceived notion that female of the species needs to be protected especially if the said female is their mate or who could potentially be a mate. She didn't ramble on about how in most species the female is more aggressive than the male and she definitely didn't tell him that she knew three martial arts and if any situation did arose she could have handled it herself… Instead, she just smiled and told him, "No. I would have liked to have seen that."

But all of her efforts failed, when after they recount their first case to Sweets he said, "I'm a gambler." She should have known. She should have known that she hadn't tried enough. She shouldn't have said those stupid jokes or colloquialisms. She shouldn't have said that she would accept Booth's premise in matters of love. She led him on… And here they stand.

Rationally, she should have no problem in saying 'yes' to Booth's request. He was very _pleasing to look at_. And he was a very good friend. She loved him. Rationally, she should have said 'yes'. But yet… quite irrationally, all her fears clashed and clamored in her brain. And her gut says to her that it would only end in tragedy… Because what they had between them was something very intense. And Temperance Brennan could never handle intensity properly. She would only hurt him in the long run. She would hurt him very heavily, very badly. Better end this now, and though he would be hurt, he would also heal…

And due to all these reasons and due to her gut, she heard herself saying 'no'. She tried to explain to him. _I don't have your kind of open heart. You're the one who needs protecting… From me._ Yes, he needed to be protected from her. Who could only be a source of pain and heartbreak. He needed a source of happiness and that was not her… It was not her… He needs to be protected. She will protect him from all kinds of pain… Even from herself.

. . . . . . .

And then, they had their awkward phase. Heather Taffet's case taxed on the energy and determination of the entire team. But like always she couldn't derive comfort from Booth. She couldn't derive comfort from Booth. Probably, because things were awkward. And that thought scared her… Beyond words. So, she decided to go to Maluku. But this time she wouldn't be the only one running from her demons. Booth is running too… And she didn't know whether to be happy about the fact that she didn't have to leave Booth behind or apprehensive about the fact that Booth was changing… He wasn't the kind of man who ran from his problems, yet he ran… He was changing.

. . . . . . .

_Everything changes, Booth._

_Not everything, Bones. Not everything…_

. . . . . . .

And now this… She knew that everything changes. Rationally, entropy is a force that acts on even sub-atomic particles. Yet quite irrationally, she believed Booth when he said "Not everything." She thought about a lot in Maluku and decided that maybe… just maybe, she should give their relationship a chance. She should give their love a chance. And though things might get messy, the can still have each other… Like Angela and Hodgins… Even if after their break-up they could remain professional and more importantly, they could remain friends. And now they are again in love and married. And it doesn't seem like they are going to fall out of love soon. So, maybe… they should give their love a chance too…

And then, they meet after a year of separation, and they hug… A little too short of a hug for her. And that's when she knew… That everything had changed…

. . .

"Excuse me, would you mind if I sat here?" A young voice asked.

Brennan lifted her head from her knees. And gave the person a questioning glance. It was a public place, why ask her for permission?

"Well, you just… You looked like you needed some privacy, I guess."

"Well, if I needed privacy, wouldn't it be logical for me to seek out a secluded place or a private space like my residence, for example. The very idea behind my seeking out a public place, such as a park, suggests that I do not mind the lack of privacy, in fact my objective was to find an open place." Brennan replied, clearly not understanding the logic of her bench-mate.

"Yeah… Well, I-I'll just sit here."

Brennan straightened herself up. She tilted her head far back and looked into the sky as she would look at a skeleton – trying to find answers.

. . .

She knew the moment Booth asked her whether she had found someone that he had. And it hurt her. It hurt her more than she thought it would. Logically, she knew that feelings where just electrical impulses or release of chemicals in the brain, and so like every other feeling, Booth's love for her would also fade. But, quite illogically, she believed that it wouldn't. She believed that he would wait for her. And like in cheap trashy romance novels, they would meet after a year and declare their undying love and everything would be alright with the world… Somehow, a small part of her hoped for it…

He showed her a picture of her. This new woman… with whom he was _as serious as a heart-attack_. The new woman in his life… In his heart. The new woman he loved and who loved him back. Smart, determined, funny, passionate, lovable, blonde… The perfect woman… The perfect woman for him.

So, after a momentary flicker which revealed her true feelings, she smiled. She smiled real hard trying to show how happy she was for him. But her cheeks hurt. And her heart hurt…

She wanted to hate Hannah. She was a nasty person who came in between Booth and her. But, she was not… She was the one who provided him with comfort in the harsh sun of Afghanistan. She was the one who dissolved his guilt when he was working for the Army. She was the one who was ready to love him when she wasn't…

So, she smiled when she saw Hannah. She smiled and laughed and shared stories like everything was alright. Like everything was fine. Like her heart didn't keep on shattering upon seeing every smile Hannah & Booth shared, every kiss they kissed… Like she didn't try to re-assemble her shattered heart every time and failed… She smiled like she didn't have a care in the world or better yet like she was clueless… Yes, Dr. Temperance Brennan, the best forensic anthropologist with a genius brain but a heart full of hot air, so emotionally stunted that she couldn't even conjure up the right emotions of grief & jealousy when she saw the man she love move on and fall in love with someone else. Yes, that old mask was the perfect one… She preferred to deal with her sorrow alone… Alone…

. . .

"Tissue?" Brennan found a tissue come into her field of view. Confused she touched her cheeks, they were wet. _Had I been crying? In Public? For how long?_ She took the tissue gratefully and rubbed her cheeks. This was just great, she couldn't have put herself in a more embarrassing situation. How was she going to explain this to her bench-mate?

"Thanks –" Brennan barely managed to choke out. _Damn! When did my voice become so hoarse?_

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Brennan looked at the person sharing the bench with her. Somehow she could derive a sense of comfort from the kind eyes of the stranger. Kind, green eyes… A handsome face, she thought.

"You want me to punch the guy who did this to you?" The stranger offered with a chuckle.

"What? No! Why would I want to cause bodily harm to –" Brennan suddenly realized. "Oh! You were joking." See, this is precisely the reason why she and Booth don't fit.

"Yes, of course, I was joking. What? Did you think that I'm gonna punch someone for a stranger?"

"Well, how did you assume it was about a guy? If from 'guy', I assume you had been talking about romantic relationship to a man. I could easily have been homosexual. Then it would have been about a 'girl'. Or maybe my problems may not have anything to do with something of romantic nature at all. I may have been fired from work. Or sometimes pregnant women or women approaching their menstrual cycle tend to be more emotional, and cry sometimes just by feeling overwhelmed. It could have been any of those reasons." Brennan states, not understanding how a stranger could just assume that she was crying about a guy.

"Well, yes… It maybe any of those reasons." The stranger replies, a little baffled.

A pause.

"Well, still I say... It **is** about a guy. Or a girl depending upon your sexuality." An easy smile adorning the reply. "If it is a girl, well, I can only say that I've been there."

"Oh… You mean to say that you are a homosexual." Brennan exclaims.

"Yeah…" She smiles.

"Well, I do not feel comfortable discussing my private life with a stranger. No offense." Brennan retorts. She just wants to be left alone right now. She wants to clear her head.

Suddenly her bench-mate extends her hand. "I'm Ruth. Ruth Berkely." Brennan gingerly shakes it.

After a period of prolonged silence, Ruth says, "This is the part where you say your name."

Brennan doesn't think that it is safe to reveal information to a stranger she met in the park. But she is not paranoid like Hodgins. And she _feels_ that it is safe. And though she doesn't want to converse with this amicable but undesired stranger, she says, "I'm Temperance Brennan."

"Nice to meet you." Ruth replies. And with an impish smile, she tells, "So, technically, we're not strangers anymore. Want to tell me about the guy?" At Brennan's cold stare, she quickly adds. "Only if you want to."

Unknowingly, a small smile tugs at Brennan's lips. "I can speak only if I wish to, Ms. Berkely . You cannot force a person to talk unless you employ torture methods."

"Call me, Ruth. Well, I definitely wouldn't be employing torture methods, Ms. Brennan. You need to talk only if you feel like it. It would help, though. Talking it out helps, mostly."

"Dr. Brennan."

"Huh? What?"

"You called me Ms. Brennan. I'm Dr. Brennan."

"Okay…" She pauses and smiles awkwardly. "So you want to tell me about the guy or you want me to get the hell out of here and leave you alone?"

Brennan smiles. "Neither. I would say neither."

. . . . . . .

A/N: Please please review. Did I ruin Bones's character? Was it okay? Was it good? Hated it? Loved it?

Though this is a B/B fic, they would be 'together' together only at the end of this fic. But hey, I want happy endings and it would be a happy ending in this fic. Soon, you can see Booth suffering due to _? (Suspense.) And a shift in the dynamics of the two partners.

Once again, please review… Good or Bad… Just review.

Soon : What happens when Brennan cries in front of Hannah and Booth at the diner?


	4. The Comfort in The Stranger

Lots and lots of Thanks to all who read and reviewed. Thanks a lot. I would love to just throw Hannah out of the picture as per all of our wishes. But the truth remains that what stands between Booth and Brennan is not Hannah, but Booth's stupid alpha-male pride and Brennan's sacrificial love/attitude... And I hate the fact that Booth could just move on like that when Brennan hadn't even told him that she didn't love him. And despite all his promises of never leaving her and making her believe in love, he just went and did the opposite. So, presently I hate Booth. The jerk-ish Booth of season 6. So, I'm sorry, but I can't just paint a happily-ever-after for them before making Booth suffer first. So, yeah… The story won't be an established B/B until the end. Please, bear with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Had I owned Bones, Booth would be buried alive by the Gravedigger while Gormogon and Jack's flesh eating beetles eats him alive. Since that ain't happening, it isn't mine…

Please overlook any grammar or spelling mistakes. I try my best to avoid them. Enjoy…

* * *

THE COMFORT IN THE STRANGER

* * *

. . . . . . .

Silence. Silence comforts her these days. Somehow conversations and noise seem to only make the dull ache in her chest more intense. So, she felt slightly more comfortable when sitting here in the park bench with the dull throb of noises of the city fading into the background noise. _Take a deep breath… One more…_ It was just that breathing was so hard these days. Very hard indeed. And suddenly she heard herself saying in a rather bitter tone, "Everything changes. Everything…"

She was still looking at the sky. It seemed like she had whispered the sentence into the huge void. She didn't turn her gaze. She didn't even blink, but she could feel the gaze of the woman sitting beside her. _Well, she must be feeling uncomfortable… Serves her right for encroaching into my personal space._

"Yeah… Maybe" Ruth replied, unsure whether she wanted a reply. "But not all changes are bad…"

"Yes, not all changes are bad." Brennan agreed. "But some are… Some- Some are _terrible_…" She found that her voice is breaking. _Dammit! What is wrong with me?_

A long silence followed in which Brennan just continued studying the clouds in the sky while blinking back whatever moisture was accumulating in her eyes. She should be happy. She should be happy that Booth is happy. Booth is happy with another woman. A woman who is career-driven, independent, passionate, determined, gorgeous, smart but also caring, loving and not afraid of commitments. A woman who is a better version of her. A woman who has all her positive qualities but none of her negative ones. A woman without demons and insecurities. A woman who is perfect… Perfect for him. She should be happy that Booth found the perfect woman in just 7 months… She should be. But she can't. She tried, she really did. She tried to be happy for him but all she could feel was an emptiness in her chest. So, she settled for the second-best situation. She pretended to be happy for him. She really had to thank the foster-c are system for her impeccable acting skills. She knew how to hide pain and tears from a young age itself…

"Hypothetically…" The young voice cut through the sanctity of the silence like the jagged edge of a knife. "Hypothetically, if a woman is sad because something changed in her life that she didn't want to and is sitting on a park-bench trying to find some closure or relief, then wouldn't it be better to confide in a stranger, say someone she met at the park? I mean, the stranger has practically no knowledge of this woman and can't take advantage of the information that the woman has provided. But, at the same time, the woman may find some closure when confiding to the stranger, or at least she may get another perspective on the whole issue… Not to mention, she can walk away later and she wouldn't have to deal with the whole awkwardness she would have had to deal with had she confided in a friend. So, wouldn't that be a better alternative for the woman rather than running the whole issue in her mind in a loop?"

Brennan looked at the woman sitting beside her. It was a well-reasoned argument. "What if, hypothetically, the woman hated psychology?"

Ruth smiled. "Well, what if the stranger wasn't such a big fan of psychology either? It is just that the stranger is a good Samaritan who decides to listen and provide a different perspective so that the woman can at least try and better her situation, whatever it is."

Brennan gave a strained smile. It really wouldn't hurt her if she could clear her head. Though it was scientifically impossible, her head felt like filled with a thick haze these days. And something about this young woman made her feel comfortable. Like Angela. She felt the same when she had first met Angela. Comfortable. There was no fear of judging. "Would you like to hear a story, Ms. Berkely?"

"Yeah, I guess... And please, call me Ruth."

"Well, there were two friends… named –" _Hmm… Kathy and Andy? No! Ah… got it._ "Let's call them Tony and Roxie. " Brennan smiles a little fondly at the memory. "So, they are really good friends and they… they work together."

"What kind of work?"

"Not relevant. Well, there was… There was always some- some attraction between them, but obviously their friendship was more important than anything else." Friendship seemed so thoroughly inadequate. How can the intense relationship between them could ever be labeled? It could only be called partnership. Give and take. Yin and Yang. She felt like no amount of words could ever describe their history. Though feeling a little queasy, she continued. "And… well, many incidents happened but they always… They always stayed the same. Because, they were the centre and the centre always holds."

Seeing the young woman nod, Brennan continued, "And… and everything was going good and stable till… till someone decides to write a book on them."

"A book on them? Why?" Ruth asked slightly bewildered. She felt that either massive amounts of the story were missing. Or Ms. Brennan was talking in some kind of code.

"Well, the author being a psychologist who decided to study Tony & Roxie and to make them the subject of his book… Not… Not important." Brennan said slightly annoyed at the interruption. Somehow their story was so hard to put into words.

"The important part is the psychologist compels Tony to act upon the sublimated attraction between them and suddenly Tony decided to take a gamble on them… an-and their friendship. And he wanted 30, 40, 50 years… But, Roxie knew that they were not compatible and they-they wanted different things from their life and… and…" Brennan bit her lip.

She cannot explain in words what happened. She just can't. She is incapable to put those intense emotions into words. There are no words to explain the heart-break she saw in Booth's eyes that night or the fear she felt or how the world seemed to turn grey before her eyes. "And… and Roxie said no. It… it may have hurt him. But it was the only way. It was the only way she could ensure that he wouldn't be hurt too much. It was all she could do. She had to protect him… She just had to."

"Protect him from what?"Whispered Ruth.

Brennan looked at the woman sitting near her. Her view was slightly bleary. She blinked trying to clear her vision. "From… From herself."

A long pause.

"So, Tony's question was unexpected by Roxie?" Ruth asked.

"No, not unexpected. But… but Roxie wasn't… wasn't ready for it, I suppose." Brennan answered. Thankful that the stranger had changed the topic without really changing the topic.

"So, that is the change? Things changed after Roxie said 'no' to Tony?"

"No… Things… Things just started becoming worse and… and Tony and Roxie decided to go their different paths and they decided to meet again after a year… and they did. But…" Brennan inhaled sharply. "But… things changed. Tony fell in love and… And it is okay but, he changed a lot… and… He fell… He fell in love. I mean, I know that scientifically the feelings and emotions we experience is just… is just chemicals and electrical impulses in the brain and they'll fade away and new feelings and emotions will be formed and… and everything changes. Everything changes because entropy is natural force that acts on everything and emotions aren't dependable because they are ephemeral and no matter how loyal or loving a person is, no matter if he declared 30, 40, 50 years of love, his emotions changes and it would be stupid to act on feelings and… and he has Hannah now… And everything… everything changes and he changed and… and… and…" Brennan couldn't continue. She ran out of breath. She felt like she couldn't breathe and that she was choking on air… She couldn't believe that she have to come down to this level where she was rambling to a stranger and was crying. She was crying in public. "I…" She could feel that her hand was being slightly squeezed by the woman next to her.

"It is stupid, really. Feelings aren't eternal. They are just release of chemicals and electrical impulses in the brain and Roxie knew this but she just wanted to believe that they are not. She wanted to believe that Love is eternal. She wanted to believe it so desperately, which was… which was clearly stupid of her, because… Because feelings won't last since they… They aren't _real_." Brennan smiled bitterly. She couldn't believe that she had just gone and said what she felt to this person sitting next to her. She was really losing it, wasn't she?

"You really believe that?" Ruth asked.

"What?" Brennan asked, slightly confused. She can't remember more than half of what she had said just a few moments ago, which is a very rare occurrence for her.

"That feelings or love isn't _real_?"

"Well, Yes. To a certain extent." Brennan said. Her voice regaining its natural strength and staring right into her eyes, as if she hadn't just broken down in front of a stranger.

"It isn't true." Ruth said, slightly shaking her head. "Dr. Brennan, could you define 'real'?"

"I believe the Oxford dictionary defines 'real' as something that is actually existing or occurring. It can also be defined as something that is genuine and not artificial. I cannot see how this pertains to this conversation though." Brennan replied in her matter-of-fact tone.

"So… would you call this wrought-iron bench that we are sitting as 'real'?"

"Yes, of course… I'd like to state again that I cannot see how this relates to anything I've said earlier. And –" Brennan was interrupted by another question.

"How do you know that the bench is real?"

"I don't know what you mean." Brennan replied. She was getting confused. She felt tired. She just wanted to go home.

"Well, how do you know the bench is real? How do I know that the bench is real? Well, it is because I can see it and I can sit on it. I feel it when I touch it. And if I lean close enough I can get a faint whiff of paint and iron… So, I know the bench is real. But, the question is, how do I see it? Or feel it or smell it? The light from the sun or whatever is the source falls on the bench and gets reflected, right? And then the reflected light enters my eyes through the cornea and falls on my retina where it creates some electrical impulses and these travel through the optical nerve to my brain where electrical impulses tell me that I am seeing a bench. Am I right?" Ruth asked with a slight smirk, as if she knows a secret which the other woman doesn't.

"Well, though it is oversimplified and inaccurate, I believe what you said is correct at least in an elementary level." Brennan replied, still unable to understand why she was teaching elementary science to a strange woman.

"Well, likewise I feel it because when I touch it the nerve endings in my fingers send electrical signals to my brain and my brain kinda processes it."

"Yes, again though oversimplified, it is correct." Brennan replied feeling that she wanted an affirmation.

"So, _actually,_ everything that I see or feel or smell is just in the end electric signals in my brain. Or at least that is how I know it exists or it is real. So, why is it any different for emotions? The fact that they are just signals or chemicals in my brain doesn't make them any less real. They are just as real as this park-bench. I feel it because of chemicals in my brain just like I feel everything else in this world. That doesn't make it unreal. They are just as real as whatever you see, touch or smell…"

Brennan was silent for a few moments as she processed whatever the other woman has said. "Though scientifically inaccurate, I believe I understand your point." Brennan said with a slight smile. "You make very convincing arguments."

"Well, what can I say? It is one of my talents." Ruth said with a silly grin. Slowly, her grin morphed into a sad smile. "So… what now?"

Brennan took in a deep breath and exhaled before looking at Ruth. What now? A question she herself doesn't hold any answers to. "Well, logically Roxie should let Tony know that she is ready to have a relationship with him. So that he can take an informed decision with full knowledge..."

"I hear a 'but' coming…" She said.

Brennan smirked. "But… quite illogically Roxie wants Tony to sustain his happiness with the woman he is currently in love with. He deserves happiness. And Roxie confessing her feelings would only cause Tony to feel guilty and may ruin his only chance at happiness… So…" Brennan left the sentence incomplete hoping that the strange woman would understand. She gave a reserved smile and left it at that.

"Well… I have to say" Ruth said with a slight chuckle. "Roxie is one hell of a woman…"

Brennan chuckled at that and feeling slightly better looked the woman in the eyes (as Booth taught her the importance of eye-contact) and said, "Thank you…Ms. Berkely."

"Geez, I already told you a hundred times, call me Ruth."

"No, you just told me nearly three or four times-" By a pointed look from her bench-mate, Brennan understood. "Oh… You were being facetious. You were exaggerating." Suddenly her gaze turned slightly sorrowful. "Tony and Roxie never fit. He is such a wonderful hear person and she… she doesn't even know how to be amusing… He finally found the right woman. The perfect woman."

She didn't know how to be amusing. She didn't know pop-culture. Whereas Hannah does. She… She really is the perfect woman. Even her name fitted Booth's perfectly. Hannah Booth sounded so much better than Temperance Booth. Not that she would ever marry Booth or even if she did, she would never change her name. But… **Even her name was perfect!**

"What is her name?" Ruth asked. That is when she realized that she had said the last part aloud.

"Well… I…" Brennan was slightly embarrassed. She didn't feel comfortable talking about her feelings to a stranger. Still, nothing had gone bad till now, so she might as well go full in. "Hannah. Her name is Hannah." She found herself replying.

"Yeah… Hannah is a nice name. But it definitely hasn't got the sophistication and distinctiveness of Temperance." Ruth replied smiling.

Even though, it was stupid, Brennan did feel a little better.

"Plus, trust me when I say Tony is going to miss Roxie and he'll realize his mistake and soon he is going to fall out of love with the new woman. Everything will go back to the way it was and nothing would have changed…"

"Well, don't you think it is rather preposterous of you to ask me to trust you when we have known each other for barely half an hour?" Brennan asked.

She laughed and replied. "It is just an expression, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan smiled in return. She definitely felt better now. At least she was in a better state now than when she came. She had done enough grieving. It was time to go back home. She had to leave. She got up smoothed her skirt and said "Nice meeting you, Ruth. But I have to go. Maybe we'll meet again."

"Yeah… it was great to meet you too." Ruth replied still sitting. "Apparently, I am going to sit here for –" She glanced at her watch and said "For 13 minutes and 42 seconds more. Every day. So, if you wanna catch up I'll be here around this time." She said giving Brennan a one-sided smile.

"Why do you sit here for that precise amount of time? Are you suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?" Brennan asked confused.

"What? No! It's just…"

"Ah… You are sitting here for someone. Since you proclaimed to sit here daily I doubt that you are waiting for someone rather I think you are sitting here in the memory of someone." Brennan stated, her matter-of-fact tone disregarding any potential arguments.

Ruth grinned. "I thought you hated psychology."

"Well, I do." Brennan smiled. "But, it is not psychology. It's anthropology. Anthropologically, many species, including Homo sapiens, tend to visit any region associated with the departed one in their tribe or family as an attempt to overcome the grief as well as to honor the dead member of the tribe. It is the reason why many of us visit the graves of our family and friends. Though, occasionally, instead of seeking out the burial ground tribe members may find other places which they believe to be associated with the dead member." _Like how The Diner is her and Booth's place._

"Still, it sounded suspiciously like psychology."

"Bye… Nice meeting you." Brennan said as she turned around and walked back to her car while her bench-mate just resumed observing the park.

. . . . . . .

Booth felt a little unsettled. He was comfortable sitting on his couch watching TV with a beautiful girlfriend. But… He ran his hands through his hair for the hundredth time that day. He was happy. He _is_ happy. It is just that he felt uneasy.

Was Bones really sad? It shouldn't matter, right? She broke his heart. So he had every right to break hers. But, the fact is, he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to break her heart. She doesn't deserve to be unhappy. She had had way too many tragedies and horror to last a lifetime. She doesn't need more. But… Bones, she was happy. Right? He couldn't detect the tiniest trace of jealousy from her. She wasn't jealous of Hannah. In fact, they both got along pretty well. Bones always smiled when she was with him. She even laughed. Though, he could figure out that she wasn't genuinely that happy, she wasn't jealous. Maybe she is just sad that she is single. She… She definitely doesn't seem jealous. She is nice and polite to Hannah and sometimes she even went out of her way to be friendlier with her.

Whom was he kidding? Bones wasn't very fond of Hannah. She was doing it for his sake. But that doesn't mean anything, right? She may not be over-the-top happy like he is, because she is not the one in a happy relationship, he is. She is happy, right? She's okay… She's okay.

At least, Cam and Angela hadn't confronted him after their 'little chat'. They all acted like it never happened. And he was grateful for that. He didn't know how much more of _that_ he can take. Seeley Booth maybe a strong man but even he cannot survive a pregnant Angela AND a determined Cam.

But it still unnerved him. The little looks that they send his way. Hodgins giving him a disapproving glance, Angela shooting him death glares and Cam looking at him with pity. Why on earth would she look at him in pity? He was in a happy relationship, what is so pitiful about that? He tried to tune out the traitorous thoughts and listen to whatever the TV was playing.

He could identify the notes coming out from the TV. It was HotBlooded. "Hey! It's OUR SONG!" He suddenly exclaimed.

"Which song, Seeley?" a feminine voice floated across the room. A voice that was distinctly not Bones's. A voice that was Hannah's.

"Huh?" He muttered. Shit! He had forgotten that Hannah was here. He was still just getting used to the idea of her being around all day. What was he going to say? Shit!

"Hot Blooded?" She asked smiling. "I admit it is quite a rocking song but don't you think we should have a song which is more meaningful as our song?" She said leaning down to peck him on the lips.

"Yeah… As always, you are _always_ right." He said putting on his charm smile for the effect. He brings her face down for another quick kiss. He mutters "What is that burning smell?"

"Oh God!" Hannah exclaims as she runs back to the kitchen.

"Hey, I told you… You should have let me cook my infamous Mac 'n' Cheese." He called out before sitting back down. He sighed.

A more meaningful song? It would be impossible to find a more meaningful song. Because "Hot Blooded" held so many memories and feelings. It held so much meaning. To them. Because, to them it sang of the tale of a carefree Bones who danced like she never did, a high kick, an explosion, revealing of secrets of the past on a hospital bed, getting out of the hospital bed to save her from being eaten alive by dogs, a missed date as she stayed with him in the hospital, a tie she hated, Rock 'n' Roll camp, getting on to the stage to sing a duet, "You are the standard."… The song held much more meaning than any other song he could think of…

But, he was happy. In the end what mattered was not having the best song but being happy. Right?

He was happy. He was…

. . . . . . .

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the whole lot of OOCness from Brennan's part. Hope you enjoyed it. Please read and review. Pretty please.


	5. The Tears in The Laughter

Thank You to all who reviewed as well as to those who added the story to their alerts. A huge thanks to those who added this story to their favourites. An ever bigger thanks to my sis who reads my story & supports me and try to prevent my falling into the depths of depression… ^_^ Thanks a lot da…

Please overlook any grammar/spelling errors as my mother-tongue is not English. And the language would probably be a mix of American and British English.

Also, if any of the facts in this chapter is not in accordance with season 6 or if Hannah seems out of character, please forgive me. I haven't seen even a single episode of the sixth season... (And I'm doing pretty good for someone who hasn't seen or read an episode of season 6, am I not? *grins*) I'm not spoiler-free so give me nits and bits of season 6 and you'll leave me pretty happy.

Warning: Angst and slight OOC-ness. And Booth is kind of a jerk. High drama content.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Had I owned Bones, half of season 5 and season 6 wouldn't have happened... But since it did, I don't own anything.

* * *

THE TEARS IN THE LAUGHTER

* * *

. . . . . . .

"I would suggest that you cut down your intake of carbohydrates and fats, Booth. At your age-"

"Hey! My age has nothing to do with anything; I am in my prime. Plus, it is pie, Bones. Everybody loves pie."

"I do not like pie. As you know, I do not like my fruit cooked. Actually-"

"Bones, can we continue your lecture on nutrition and pie after I eat it? That way, at least I can enjoy it!"

Brennan smiled and nodded her head in acceptance. Once again, they agree to disagree. But, somehow she found it discomforting to see that Booth is not persuading her to eat pie. He just accepted her argument and ate it himself. And though, she should be happy that Booth finally respects her wishes and her point of view, she just found it disconcerting and disturbing. As if, he had given up on her just like he had given up on getting her to eat pie.

. . . . . . .

_You know, I think it's interesting, psychologically how Agent Booth's constant efforts to persuade you to enjoy fruit pie could be interpreted as a kind of seduction. _

. . . . . . .

Everything between them was laden with so much meaning. And symbolism and metaphor. It was like living out a poem. But now, somehow it seems different, new and unsure. Like their whole partnership has been renewed.

_Stop reading too much into this. Concentrate on the present._ Hannah is to join them shortly. It will be fun. Just three friends hanging out together. Though two of those friends are involved in a relationship and the third one is in love with one of them. _Talk. Talk something. _

"When will Hannah join us?" She blurted out.

"She will be here soon, Bones." He answered, squirming in his seat a little bit, as if he found this conversation awkward too. As always, he jokes about what makes him uncomfortable. "What you don't find eating with your old pal enjoyable anymore?" He nearly put on a fake pout for the effect.

"No, of course not, Booth. I still enjoy our time together as I did earlier. I was just enquiring about Hannah because-"

"I know, Bones. I was just kidding." He explained, smiling kindly at her.

She could see that even though he was smiling at her. It was a strained smile. Maybe he finds her lack of humour sense irritating now. Should she apologise?

"Hey there..." chirped Hannah as she came in. Leaning down to give Booth a quick peck on the lips, she took her seat beside him.

"We were just discussing how a carbohydrate and fat-rich diet could be detrimental to Booth's health. He really needs to reduce his high calorie & high protein food intake and concentrate more on vitamins and minerals." Brennan blurted out as soon as Hannah took her seat earning a curious glance. Damn, she always rambles when she feels uncomfortable.

He wanted to say "No, we weren't Bones. You were saying about how much you enjoy your time with me." Instead, he said, "Hey! It is not like I'm turning into a big blob of fat, Bones. I am perfectly fit and in shape. I work out a lot –"

"And I help him with it." Hannah added, earning a chuckle from Booth.

"Oh, you are suggesting that since you copulate very frequently, you help Booth burn his calories. That is very accurate. Sexual activity can be considered as an exercise as it burns approximately –"

She stopped talking at the choking sound coming from Booth who seemed to be choking on air or maybe pie. Whereas Hannah was laughing.

"You are very funny, Dr. Brennan." Hannah complimented her.

"Well, thank you. Though I have been working on colloquialism and humour, I was merely stating a fact before." Brennan smiled and looked at her partner trying to catch his eye, as she always did when she got a compliment or when she got uncomfortable.

Sadly, her partner was too busy looking at the floor that she couldn't catch his eye.

"Actually, I met Dr. Sweets today. I always thought that he would be, I don't know, more experienced, I guess." Hannah muttered.

"Oh… Booth would say that you are actually saying he's too young to be psychologist and an FBI profiler." Brennan offered Booth's views on the matter as she always did. Not once thinking that it can be awkward.

Booth joined the conversation, seemingly more comfortable with the current topic. "Yeah. He's practically a kid. He's barely twelve…"

"Booth! Do not make fun of the boy." Brennan defended their _baby duck_. "Though Sweets is very young, he does have a doctorate and he offers valuable insight to human behaviour. I sometimes find that he has a knack to solve complex emotional tangles."

"Hey, I thought you hated psychology."

"I did. I mean, I do…" Brennan stuttered.

"Wow! Did you just admit that you hat_ed_ psychology? As in, you don't hate psychology anymore?"

"What? No, I didn't, Booth. That is preposterous. You asked me a question in past tense causing me to reply in the same tense. That's all. I still hate psychology."

He grinned cheekily as he asked, "You sure?"

"Of course, I am sure, Booth."

"Okay, so why do you talk our kid psychologist into some kind of super-cool mind-reading prodigy?"

"I absolutely did not do that! I just appreciated him and pointed out the fact that though he is young, he is very experienced. And he seems more mature now than he was a year ago."

"Well… what happened to 'Psychology is a soft-science' argument?" He asked, trying to mimick Bones as he said 'Psychology is a soft science'.

"Yes, it still is. And Sweets is very skilled in deriving correct conclusions as much as possible from it, considering the fact that it is indeed a soft science and hence he cannot be accurate."

"Hmm…"

"What does 'hmm' mean?" She retorted.

"It means I accept your arguments." He said, giving his charm smile as some kind of peace-treaty.

They look into each other's eyes. A soft smiling gracing their lips. It almost feels like old times...

Hannah felt a little awkward now. It felt like they were lost in their own little world and didn't realize that she was sitting next to them. Also, she didn't miss the fact that Seeley had called Dr. Sweets as '_our_ kid psychologist'. Pushing her insecurity and slight jealousy aside, she decided to pitch in.

"Actually, he reminded me one of my friends, who is also a psychologist, although she is significantly older." Hannah smiled. "There is a funny story about her. One day, her secretary tells her that there is a patient in the waiting room who thinks that he is invisible. So, my friend replies, 'Tell him, I can't see him right now'."

Brennan laughed suddenly and explained the joke. "That is funny, because of the intended pun."

"Wow! You made Bones laugh! You just made the squintiest squint laugh." Booth muttered, baffled. Since when did Bones start getting jokes and laughing at them?

"You don't laugh at my jokes, Bones." Booth said rather accusingly.

"Well, maybe that is because your jokes aren't funny." She retorted, rather playfully.

"Well, I am a _very_ funny woman, Seeley." Hannah said flashing a charming smile at him.

"That you are. You just made the hard-core squint laugh out loud. You should be given 'Jokester of the Year' Award." He said as he smiled affectionately at her while tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

. . . . . . .

Brennan felt like someone had clenched her heart tightly in their palm. She always felt uncomfortable when she saw them together, but now… Now she felt downright miserable. It was always okay with her when the talked about their sex lives or their work. She could compartmentalize. They were in a relationship, obviously they would engage in intercourse. But it was times like this that made her heart clench and lungs burn. They way he joked about Hannah being given 'Jokester of the year' Award. He used to do that stuff with _her_. He used to call her 'Squint of the year' or 'Crime-fighting kick-ass Anthropologist of the year' and all other such frivolous but warm endearments and titles.

Also, the fact that Hannah was presented with this fictitious Award because she could make her laugh, stung a little. She _did_ laugh at funny jokes. She had laughed at many of Booth's jokes. It was not like she was incapable of human emotions. She just had a selective sense of humor.

And as she proceeded to point out to Booth that there was no _actual_ award for joking, she saw him smile affectionately at Hannah. His brown eyes were twinkling with warmth, love and affection as he tucked away a strand of her hair. And they both just looked into each other's eyes seemingly getting lost in their depths. As if the world had faded away and it was just the two of them. It was how she and Booth used to be. Not anymore.

And his stupid grin as he smiled down at Hannah, only seemed to agitate her even more. His eyes held so much happiness. Carefree. As if he was finally happy and carefree… He was happy and carefree _with Hannah_. And that stung. Heavily. She could never provide that happiness to Booth. But, Booth deserved it. He deserved all the happiness in the world. Still, the simple affectionate smile and joking around seemed too excruciating to her. As if fate or God (_of course, neither existed_) is punishing her for her lack of belief by rubbing this on her face.

He seemed so happy. She had never seen like him that when he was with her. Or at least since his proposition to 'give them a try'. He seemed genuinely happy and the fact that she was no longer its source was a cruel piece of information. The fact that his affection and warmth of his gaze was directed to someone else was the fatal blow. She smiled. He was happy. And she should be happy for him… She will be happy for him… So, once again she plastered on her fake smile. But, her cheeks hurt so badly by smiling. God! Did her cheeks hurt badly...

. . .

Booth turned his face from her and looked at Bones who was smiling widely, practically grinning. And something inside him tore a little bit. But as he looked at her eyes, he exclaimed, "Bones! Are you crying?"

"What?" She asked as she rubbed her cheeks surreptitiously. Yes, they were slightly wet. Oh! How on Earth would she explain this one? Damn! She found herself disgustingly emotional these days. As if she had no control over her lachrymal ducts. She smiled as she said, "Well, they are called tears of laughter, Booth. Hannah's joke was very funny indeed." She can't even remember what the joke was now. She just knew that she had to lie, hoping that Booth didn't catch up on her little impromptu white lie. She really didn't know how she would react if Booth probed and prodded her anymore.

"Bones, that joke wasn't even _that_ funny." He exclaimed.

What was the joke? Why can't she remember what the joke was? Yes, something about the pun. "I disagree, Booth. Hannah was very funny. The joke involved skillful use of pun and-"

"Yeah… yeah, Bones. I get it." Booth said as he missed Bones's tiniest sigh of relief. He turned to Hannah. "Hey… You not only made the squintiest squint laugh but made her shed tears of laughter. Wow! I officially accept that you are funnier than me." He chuckled and draped his arm over her shoulders. "I've got the funniest woman alive as my girlfriend." Hannah looked over him adoringly as she gave him a small peck on the cheeks.

Brennan could feel bile rising up in her throat. She drank her coffee in an attempt to overcome it. _I've got the funniest woman alive as my girlfriend_. The statement seemed to reverberate around in her brain. Like some macabre echo… Even though it was scientifically impossible and outright ridiculous Brennan wished that she could disappear right now. Dissipate into molecules… Or dissolve into the walls… She just wished that it didn't hurt this much to be happy for someone else. She really wanted his happiness, even more than she wanted her happiness. But, somehow it felt like fate (_which obviously didn't exist_) was trying to show her what she could have had if she had changed her mind about their relationship/partnership earlier… much earlier.

But, would it really have changed anything? Doesn't this just prove that had she said 'yes' back then, it would have been downright disastrous? Would it have been the divine love that Booth so reverently believes in? No, it wouldn't. They may have loved each other. But just like any other normal love, it would have faded away or fizzed out. He wouldn't have been so happy. She was socially inept and emotionally awkward. Booth found someone better. Someone who is making him happier. Someone who actually fits into his life and into his heart. Someone who loves him and isn't afraid to show him that love. She did the right thing back then because it is due to that that Booth has found his happiness and presumably his happily-ever-after. But it really did hurt to be happy for him.

_In all the years, that she had known Booth, he had never been in a serious relationship. And now that he was in one, she just had difficulty adjusting to it. That's all_. She tried to rationalize what she was feeling, but somewhere in her mind that she knew that she had foolishly hoped. She foolishly hoped that maybe, just maybe there are fairy-tale endings and happily-ever-after. She, against her scientific rational self, had started believing that love was something pure and divine and that love triumphs all. She smiled rather bitterly. When did she start unlearning all of life's lessons? The lessons taught by a family who left her, a high school which ridiculed her, a foster system which… She took a mental deep-breath. No use pondering over useless things now…

She tried to listen to whatever Booth and Hannah was saying. But somehow it felt as if they were moving their lips but no sound came. All the sounds – their conversation, the chatter of the surroundings, and hum of traffic – all of these sounds seemed muffled. As if she was underwater and these were some static noise at the surface. As if she couldn't break the barrier and actually listen. But she smiled and nodded and hoped that it would appear that she was actively involved in their conversation... whatever stories they were telling. It was seemingly easy, she just had to laugh and smile whenever she could see his face light up with laughter over something the other woman said. _Smile and nod. Smile and nod… You can escape this soon… _

. . . . . . .

She didn't know when she had excused herself and escaped to the restroom. She had just emptied whatever it was that she ate yesterday as she puked. She splashed cold water onto her face and rinsed her mouth thoroughly. She looked into the mirror and it felt like she was seeing someone's ghost. Yes, her slightly parted mouth as she tried to take gulps of air and red-rimmed eyes were indicators of what she was doing here. But, it was the haunted hollow look in her eyes that surprised her. It was as if she was glancing into the past. Glancing into the face of a fifteen year old Temperance Brennan as she found that reality and love were contradictory… As if she had diminished into something much less human, much less her… As if she was now just stains remaining in a bleak wall… As if her courage, determination, love and friendship had faded into nothing… And was trapped behind the mirror. Though this notion was ludicrous…

She was surprised to find that she was gasping rapid shallow breaths and her hands were trembling. Was she hyperventilating? Did she just get sick over such a trivial matter? What was she so sad about anyway? Why was she crying anyway? Because Hannah said a funny joke? Because she was funnier? God! (_It is just an expression, not an indication of her religious inclinations_) She didn't even know why she was crying! She was pathetic… That thought stopped her. She was not pathetic. Dr. Temperance Brennan was never someone who was pathetic and she wasn't going to start now. She took deep breaths as she recited every bone in her body alphabetically…

She splashed cold water onto her face, fixed her hair and started putting on her makeup. Foster care and high school taught her a lot more than just reality of life. Within no time, she could see her confident self (_or her best imitation of her confident self_) staring back at her from the mirror. She smirked at her reflected self. She tried to portray her confidence and persona as much as she could. "I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan." As her voice shook, she repeated herself till her voice was steady. Satisfied with herself, she smoothed down her dress and walked out the door.

. . . . . . .

"Bones… There you are! I was just telling Hannah about Ange and Hodgins." Booth bellowed as he saw Brennan approach their table. He noticed that she had put on more makeup.

"Yes, I had always found Angela's and Dr. Hodgins' interpersonal relationship very interesting." She stated as she took her seat opposite to the couple. She could see a flicker of concern pass Booth's face as she sat down. He must have probably noticed her change in behaviour and appearance. And for once, Brennan was thankful that he let it go.

"Yeah… They had the hots for each other from the beginning…" Booth started reciting their history as Brennan also joined. Or maybe their edited version of their history. She smiled extra-hard to make up for the suspicion that (_surely_) had crossed Booth's mind.

. . . . . . .

She had gone to the park but upon finding a familiar face there, she had gone to the only place which always gave her privacy and purpose – The Jeffersonian. And as she tried to find answers to life's questions in a skeleton, she heard the distinctive footsteps approaching nearer and nearer.

"Hey Sweetie…" Angela said.

"Hi Angela." Brennan replied, determined not to give her any information regarding her current emotional turmoil.

Sensing that she wasn't going to get anything other than a 'Hi' from the anthropologist unless she asked directly, Angela decided to go ahead. "You have been _avoiding_ me." She tried not to make it sound like a complaint. But, damn! She was her best friend and she needed to talk to her about these things.

"That is not true, Angela. I have been simply busy with my work." Brennan stated without even lifting her eyes off the skeleton.

"Bren, honey…" Angela drawled, feeling her patience wearing thin. Pregnancy wasn't getting any easier. "I've known you for about seven years. Plus, I have excellent observation skills, the reason why I am a good artist. So, I can _know_ when you are telling a lie, alright?"

Receiving no response from Brennan, she muttered angrily, "Just tell me what is wrong, Bren." Okay, so maybe she knew what is wrong. But, dammit! Brennan so really needed to get it was off her chest. Denial wasn't going to do her any good anymore.

"Nothing is work, Angela. I just derive pleasure from my work. And hence I have been working busily. I wasn't consciously avoiding you, Ange. If it felt like that, I am sorry…" Brennan said as she turned to face Angela.

The little lost girl look and sadness around her eyes seemed to knock over Angela. With a slight comforting smile, Angela said, "I wasn't accusing you of avoiding me, sweetie. It is… I think it is just that I miss our alone time together."

Brennan smiled rather ruefully. "Well, since you are pregnant and married to Hodgins, your life is bound to be busier Angela. And since I don't have-" Brennan stopped herself from completing the sentence. It would be too obvious. _Since I don't have either, I have free time which I utilize by working on cases from limbo._ "And since I don't, I have spare time which I utilize productively by working. Which I find… extremely satisfactory."

Angela seemed to understand whatever she had left unsaid and smiling sadly added, "Just come and talk to me, Bren… whenever you want."

"I…" Brennan looked up at her gratefully. Though she had offered to lend a sympathetic ear, she just couldn't bring herself to talk to her. She preferred to deal with her pain alone… Alone… "I will talk to you when I feel like talking… when… when I feel ready." Brennan said softly.

Angela was kind of surprised that Brennan not only admitted that she needed to talk about something but also agreed to talk to her when she felt ready. Smiling, "Sure thing, sweetie. You know you can call me anytime, right? Day or night."

Angela watched Brennan give her a watery smile and knowing that she needed her privacy, she turned around and left her with her skeletons.

. . . . . . .

Love. A word so common that it is strewn around every lane and every alley that one looks.

_Oh! I just love that new chic red dress that I bought yesterday._

_Man. I just love his music. He is truly the King of Pop._

_Mommy… please… Just one more icecream. 'Coz I love it…_

_Oh My Gosh! He is so charming, so handsome, so caring, so absolutely delicious… I just love him!_

_Do you love me?_

_I love you more than I ever thought was possible. _

Love. A word everyone uses as if it means nothing. As if it wasn't one of the powerful forces that shaped human society into what we see today. As if it just another common thing. _Love_. As if it wasn't something that could devastate a person, ruin his/her life and even start wars…

Love… How people used that word so carelessly never seemed to cease amazing her. Didn't they realize though hurtful words cut deep; it was the nice soothing words that never meant anything that actually digs into one's metaphorical heart, ripping it apart? Leaving deep ugly scars that never heals… Nice and sweet words that actually didn't mean anything. Like 'Love' or 'You are beautiful'.

People never actually loved someone for what they are. People love someone for what they are to them. Children love their parents because they are their primary providers and care-takers. Parents love their children because they are an extension of their genes.

A girl loves her boyfriend because he is kind & caring to her. A guy loves his girlfriend because she is his perfect little girl-friend. A husband loves his wife because she is the best trophy-wife he could get. A wife loves her husband because he is good in bed.

Nobody ever loves you for what you are. They love you for what you are to them. She learned this truism at a young age. And she was thankful that she had learned it early, because now she would lead her adult life rationally and objectively, not based on the stupid notions of love.

Your foster parents doesn't love you because they want a young child not an awkward teenager, or maybe they wanted a popular girl rather than a creepy geek or they wanted a gushing teenager who focused on what dress she was wearing to prom rather than on her education or grades or they wanted someone who did all their chores and didn't drop the dish even if the water was so hot…

Temperance Brennan may have been young, but she was not dumb. Love was a fallacy. Even when it existed, it was a selfish and dependent love not the true & pure love of fairy-tales. It faded away when a person finds that their lover doesn't fit their notion of a perfect-lover. It was ugly and selfish and people used the word around too much… Just too much…

. . . . . . .

She knew that this was stupid. But, she _was_ avoiding Booth. And also anyone who reminded her of the bliss she had had once. And that include Cam, Angela, Hodgins and even Sweets… She, she just needed to get away from it all. At least temporarily…

And so she now finds herself sitting on a wrought-iron park bench, trying to hide from life itself. She could feel her presence and so she just turned her head and gave a polite smile. But then, she keeps quiet trying to concentrate on the clouds looming in the sky. A companionable silence. It had been so long since she shared a silence with anyone…

She didn't know how long she had been sitting here… But as she felt her companion get up and move, she understood that it has been at least an hour. She blurted out, "What happened to the one you loved?"

"Why do you want to know?" Ruth asked, smiling rather sadly.

"How do you get over it?" She muttered. Hoping that she could just disappear into the sky… When did she start probing her nose into other's business? Or was it poking her nose?

Ruth walked back to the bench and sat down, though now she was facing Brennan. "She died." She answered the first question. "She just died one day…"

Though Brennan could sense that there was something more to the story, she didn't probe this time.

"You don't get over it." Ruth continued. "You can't… Most of the time, at least. Well, it depends, actually."

"Depends on what?" Brennan felt more comfortable now. This felt more like a healthy discussion on a topic rather than weird confessions to strangers.

"It depends on your relationship. Well, you may never have cared about that person anyway; you just liked him or her. In that case, you just drink booze, party hard… that kind of thing. Otherwise, you may have actually truly loved him/her and though it is not the death of your love it feels like something changed in your relationship and it feels painful and weird. In which case, you may just have to distract yourself. Because the truth is your love is strong enough to overcome that painful phase. Or you may have truly loved a person and the relationship dies. It doesn't end. There are no ends to a relationship, there is only death. So, your relationship died but it takes longer for your love to be dead. Then, the only thing you can do is wait and grieve for as long as it takes. Till either you find courage and the heart to love once more or till you find that you don't mind carrying that love with you anymore…" Ruth explained biting her lower lip slightly.

Brennan nodded sagely and concentrated on the green grass before her.

"If it isn't inappropriate, I would suggest that yours is the second one. You have to distract yourself." Ruth advised.

Brennan squirmed in her seat a little uncomfortable. "No, it is not."

"Yes, it is… Your relationship may have changed, but I don't think the love has died."

Brennan coughed a little trying to show that it was an inappropriate comment.

Ruth continued as if nothing had fazed her and she hadn't noticed the woman's growing discomfort. "As I said, you need a distraction. Would you like me to be that distraction?"

"What? No!" Brennan managed to choke out. "I don't date women. I'm heterosexual. I'm sorry."

Ruth chuckled a little as she clarified. "I am not asking you out, Dr. Brennan. Though I would like to do that... I am just asking you to maybe sometimes hang out with me… No romantic or sexual strings attached."

She knew she shouldn't have come out to the park. She didn't even hang out with Angela anymore. Though that had to do with the little pain she experienced in her heart whenever she saw Angela living out her life and finding her happiness in Hodgins and their baby. She wasn't an envious person per se, but there were times when she felt envy and jealousy. And Angela's happily-ever-after was one of those moments… Though she truly happy for both Angela and Hodgins, her dear friends, she sometimes felt like she was just a blotch in their family portrait. Though she knew that they would never mind her company, she hated playing the third-wheel. But these days that was all that she could do…

Looking at the woman sitting next to her she thought that mabe this time, she could just have some fun without everyone looking at her with pity. Without everyone trying to console her. Without a constant reminder as to how she had failed.

"So, Dr. Brennan would you like a cup of coffee?" Ruth asked smiling.

And Brennan found herself answering. "Call me Temperance. And yes, that would be a welcome distraction…"

. . . . . . .

* * *

A/N: Please… Puh-lease… Review. Pretty please. You would make my day by just reviewing. It won't take longer than a minute. ^_^

Next Chap: What happens when Angela meets Hannah and 'slips' out a certain fact?


	6. The Lies in The Relationship

Thank you soooo much to all those who read and reviewed. Bigger thanks to those who added this story to their alerts and Favorites. Gigantic thanks…

Sorry about the overdose of angst in the last three chapters. I just felt totally utterly heartbroken at the turn of the story as per season 6 and I think I poured my bitterness and depression into the story. I swear, the angst will be kept to a minimum, as far as possible. Honestly, I'm also fed up of all the angst flying about in fanfiction-dom and was thinking about writing a fluffy story. I am toying around with some ideas, and who knows? Maybe I'll start another fluffy story soon enough (as a remedy to all the angst). Okay, back to task at hand…

I haven't seen a single episode of season 6 so forgive me if Hannah seems OOC. I'm trying to keep the others in character and failing miserably. ;)

Pardon my spelling and grammar mistakes, if any. I try to avoid them as much as possible. I'm not spoiler free… Give me the tiniest bit of detail about season 6 and I'll love you to death.

Warning: High, over-the-top drama content.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Had I owned Bones… Ah, what's the use anyway? Wishing ain't gonna change anything.

To the story…

. . . . . . .

* * *

THE LIES IN THE RELATIONSHIP

* * *

. . . . . . .

Cam pushed open the doors to the bathroom to find Angela leaning against a wall, eating a chocolate bar. She sighed. Things are _really_ not going pretty at the Jeffersonian.

As though by a mutual (but silent) consensus, both she and Angela never talked about what happened with Booth. She could see the disapproval in everybody's gazes, though. Herself included... But, the killer looks Angela sent him would have the Devil running for cover. Sometimes, she looked like she was going to strangle Booth. And though G-Man was pretty strong, Cam doubted that anyone could survive a furious Angela. Exactly the reason why she should _not_ have this conversation with Angela. But… Booth had been her friend since like forever and so maybe she owed this to him.

"What are you doing here, Angela?" She asked, an impatient tone edging into her voice.

"Umm… I'm not even allowed to go to the bathroom these days? I don't think there's any urgent work right now. So, why am I not allowed some lone time?" Angela replied.

"Angela, I am not against you having some lone time-"

"Then, what is it?" Angela asked, with a look that had Cam doubting whether she was the boss here. Dealing with pregnant women was _so_ not in her job description.

"You know what, Angela. You are hiding in here. You can't hide forever. And frankly, it is ridiculous." Cam exclaimed, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, well… Sorry that I'm not in a mood to make nice with Ms. Hannah Montana right now." Angela huffed, crossing her arms and lifting her chin as a clear act of defiance.

"Angela! You can't hide and not meet her for your life!"

"Yeah, well. Try me."

"Angela…"

"Cam…"

"Angela, this is honestly ridiculous. Why won't you just meet her?" Cam asked. "I promise you, it won't be bad. She's great actually. Very smart, funny and really nice. You might really like her. You guys may even become good friends."

"She's _great_?" Angela fumed.

_Okay, definitely not a good time to compliment her, Cam._ Cam gulped.

"She's great? Smart and nice? Well, guess what? I _already_ have enough number of friends. I don't need any more. Plus, I've got a really good friend, a best friend, who is ten times smarter and more accomplished than _your friend_ will ever be. Someone who has got more doctorates than _your friend_ can ever count! So, don't go all bossy on me, Cam. This is my personal life and I deal with it the way I want to."

"Angela…" Cam tried to persuade her. "I'm not trying to boss you around. Just an advice from a friend… Booth seemed really desperate to include her or something. Just, give her a try. She didn't do anything wrong. You might even like her. Do this for Booth."

Receiving no reply, Cam turned to leave.

"It is not fair you know." Angela muttered, nearly pouting. "I don't want to like her." She sighed. "I don't want to meet her because I'm pretty sure that when I see her, I'd want to rip her pretty blonde hair."

Cam chuckled. A pause.

"But, I guess, I get your point. She's a good person and she deserves a try, right?" Angela asked.

"Right." Cam answered, nodding her head affirmative. _Phew_. She still hadn't learned to manage a pregnant Angela. From utterly fuming & outraged Angela to sensible Angela in 0.05 seconds.

"Yeah… But I hate the fact that she's breaking Bren's heart." Angela stated. At a pointed look from Cam, "Okay, Booth broke Bren's heart, but I hate the people who come in between them." Slowly uncrossing her arms, she said. Though I know that she does not have a chance. Not even the slightest. No siree… Sometimes, I feel bad for these people that Brennan and Booth try to 'date'."

Angela said forming air-quotes at the word 'date'.

"Well, Booth _is_ pretty serious with Hannah, Angela." Cam said, with her usual practical attitude.

"Phfftt…" Angela waved her hand in front of her as gesture for 'It means nothing.' "Yeah… I know. Serious as a heart-attack. Bren told me. It is just his stupid way of saving his pride or some crap like that. Okay, so maybe he likes her, but that's it."

"I find your confidence very refreshing." Cam said, trying to hide an amused smile, but failing miserably.

"Hey… I am an _artist_. We have a knack of sensing these things, you know." Angela stated, putting on an air of confidence. "Besides, you don't have to be Albert Einstein to find out that those two are destined to be together." Angela waved her arms in a full circle dramatically. "And _that_ is the reason why I feel sorry for the people whom they both date. They never had a chance… It is like coming in the way of destiny or fate or something. Messing with the laws of Universe… Hopeless." She nodded her head grimly.

This time Cam did chuckle. "So, you're gonna make nice with Hannah out of pity?"

"But, I'm still angry at her and _obviously_ at Booth. It has already been too long. Booth and Bren have to stop this weird mating ritual or something. It is frustrating and _really _getting on my nerves. I'm running out of ideas… I'm actually thinking of locking both of them in the Egyptian storage room till they get their act together." Angela confessed, getting angrier by the second. "But, suddenly somebody decides to have a girl-friend. A serious-as-a-heart-attack-girlfriend. So, forgive me if Hannah is not my most favourite person on the planet. It is only natural that I end up hating anyone who dares to hinder their partnership or Bren's happily ending."

"So…" Cam asked with her brows furrowing in confusion, "You're gonna keep avoiding her?"

"Nah…" Angela drawled. "You're right. I shouldn't just hate a person because they've got the wrong guy as boyfriend. Plus, she _does_ seem like a nice person. Fine!" Angela exclaimed, exasperated. "I'll meet her."

Cam smiled. "Well, Booth would be pleased." A pause. "By the way, you have to give me the key to the Egyptian Storage room back."

"You know what? You are a real killjoy, Cam. Plus, too bossy." Angela huffed, as she walked out.

Cam took a deep breath and walked out too. Hoping that Angela was kidding about locking Booth and Brennan together. Though, due to a hormonal Angela, she couldn't _totally_ rule out the possibility…

. . . . . . .

Angela was pretty surprised that Cam turned out to be right. Hannah was a nice person. Really great… And if she was honest with herself, she may even have been good friends with Hannah had she met her under different circumstances. So, without knowing how and when, she was reciting her life story to her.

"And though, it was not probably _the most_ romantic setting. Getting married in a jail was everything I could ever hope for…" Angela finished her story with a chuckle.

Hannah chuckled. "Though it is very weird, I have to say… I find that _so_ _very_ romantic. You awaken the romantic in even the stringiest of cynics..." She complimented melodramatically. "I have to say, I couldn't get the details of the marriage when Seeley and Dr. Brennan told me though. Probably because they didn't know."

"Wait… Booth and Bren told you about this? Together?" Angela asked, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Yeah… A few days ago. When we all grabbed lunch together."

So _that_ was why Brennan seemed so sad and distant these days. _God! It must have been hell for her_. Angela suddenly felt a little guilty. And uncomfortable too…

Suddenly the conversation was overcome by a pregnant pause. _Awkward, awkward, very awkward... Talk something… Anything._

"I have been dying for a salacious piece of gossip. So, is it true? Is he as good, in you know what department, as they say?" Angela asked, with a conspiratorial wink.

Hannah laughed. "Really? Where do you get that idea?"

"Oh you know…" Angela waved her hand in a nonchalant manner. "The tightly wound, prudish kind… They are the real dynamites… Take Clark, for example. His girlfriend had once told me that he was a briefcase bomb. You know I would ask Cam, but she is so tight-lipped about these things…" Angela said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Why would you ask Cam?" Hannah asked, baffled.

Angela's grin slowly faded. Alarm bells were ringing in her mind. AWKWARD, AWKWARD, VERY VERY AWKWARD… God! She didn't know that Booth hadn't told her about Cam. _Well, wasn't he the one who declared he loved this woman? Shouldn't he have talked about it to her or at least given me a warning?_

Angela watched as comprehension dawned on Hannah. Angela wished she could become invisible, at least momentarily. Well, this was definitely going down in her list of _10 awkward situations you never want to be in_; right after Cam bursting in and asking her whether she was pregnant with Wendell's baby when Hodgins was in the room. Awkward…

. . . . . . .

Booth was having a terrible headache. Like he had been having for the past few weeks. _Jesus! When did things get so complicated? _Right, he remembered. Things had started getting complicated after Cam and Angela had grilled him. He really didn't want his friends trying to interfere in his life. As if maintaining a real relationship when having a son, a dangerous job and a partner weren't hard enough. He knew that all of them disapproved. It was written all over their faces. Even in Clark's face! Angela's homicidal looks weren't exactly subtle either. Many days he really thought that he was going to end up in a hospital due to a hyper-hormonal Angela. He sighed. Why did things have to get so complicated?

He knew that Bones had been uncomfortable that day. He wasn't exactly a fool. But, somehow he decided to let it go. Because he had a nagging feeling in his gut that acknowledging it would only open a can of worms that he wasn't sure he could deal with right now. And as if to confirm his suspicions, Bones was avoiding him. He wanted to go back to when things were uncomplicated and simple… Back to when he was happy. _Ignorance is really bliss._ He knew that things were changing. Their partnership was getting affected. He was no fool. He knew this. But, hey, didn't things have to change eventually anyway? What was that Bones said? Ah, something about entropy. Everything changes.

He entered his apartment to find a _very_ angry Hannah standing with her arms crossed. _What now?_

"Seeley… We need to talk."

This was one of the things he liked about her. She didn't beat around the bush.

"You remember, when I asked you about the women you work with?" Hannah asked, an irate smile marring her features. "They are really beautiful women, aren't they? Both inside and out."

God! That was what this is about? He was so stupid. He had thought he should encourage Cam and Angela to be friends with her. (Bones was already her friend, or so she said.) He wanted Hannah to fit into his supplementary family and he wanted Cam and Angela to respect Hannah and change their opinion about her. _Jesus, Seel! Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid._ Of course, Cam and Angela had already told him their stance on the matter. They were against this relationship. They had probably narrated their (his and Bones's) whole history. And by the look of Hannah's face, they had probably transformed it into some modern-day-Romeo-and-Juliet. She had asked him about their partnership and their relationship. Whether something was going on between them. He had replied negative. _Well, technically nothing happened_. Well, so what if they had kissed three times and had killed or threatened to kill for each other? Well, so what if everyone they came across mistook them for a couple? So what if sometimes he could till taste her kiss… They were never in a relationship. Never ever. And Bones had been pretty clear about the fact that it was never going to happen. He had been _technically_ correct when he said nothing happened between them. He had been accurate when he said that, but his gut protested that it was not true…

He sighed. "Listen, Hannah… Nothing happened alright?" He could feel slight anger seep into what was supposed to be his reassurance. Why was he angry? Hannah was right. He should've told her. But right now, he could care less about who was right and wrong. He had had a long day and all he wanted was to take a shower and go to bed.

"Oh yeah… Nothing happened. You have slept with her. But, hey… obviously it is nothing!" Hannah retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Wha-?" Booth shook his head. When did he ever sleep with Bones? What the hell was she talking about? "What are you talking about?" He asked, suddenly feeling doubtful.

"Cam! You had an affair with her. Remember that, Seeley? I had _specifically_ asked you whether you were romantically involved with your colleagues. I told you I was totally okay with that, I just... I just wanted to know. From you." She huffed pointing her finger at Booth. "Rather than from someone I know for barely a week. And if I remember correctly your answer to my question was 'Of course not!'Now tell me. Why did you lie, Seeley? I had never pegged you as the lying type."

Cam? Cam. That was what she was talking about. _Oh Thank God!_ He was really scared as to how to explain what happened between Bones and him. He felt relieved. He really wasn't ready to dig up muck from his past and share it with Hannah.

He sighed. "Hannah, I… I didn't lie. I-I just didn't think about it. Okay? It was not like I consciously lied to you. It… It just never crossed my mind." Yeah, he was too busy trying to ascertain and reassure Hannah that nothing happened between Bones and him that he forgot his indiscretions with his _other_ colleagues. "It just… didn't cross my mind. Because it… it was a stupid friends-with-benefits thing. We were both stupid. It-It doesn't matter now, Hannah. Cam and I are just friends now. Just friends. I-I didn't mean to lie to you, babe." He said as he opened his arms to pull Hannah in for a hug. "I love you. I would never consciously lie to you. I'm really sorry. Okay?" He asked as he smiles down on Hannah.

Well, his history with Bones, he never lied to her about it. He just didn't tell the whole truth. Not saying the truth and lying are two _very_ different things. So utterly different. He just gave selective version of the truth.

Upon seeing a small smile of forgiveness from Hannah, he leaned down to capture her lips with his. "I love you too." She muttered as they pull apart. "I forgive you. And I'm sorry too. I over-reacted a little bit."

"A little bit?" Booth teased. "That is what you call a little bit?"

Hannah smiled. "It is just that I am very particular about honesty and transparency. In a relationship and in other things. I _am_ a journalist, remember? The quest for truth is imbibed in my blood. So, don't ever lie to me. 'Kay? No more lies or forgetting to tell the truth... Because no relationship can survive either." She muttered as she leaned in for another kiss.

Booth kissed her. But her words seemed to resonate in the room. _No more lies or forgetting to tell the truth… Because no relationship can survive either_… Booth felt like he was choking on air. He felt like he was doing something gravely wrong by just holding Hannah. He felt nauseated. As if his gut was churning, trying so very hard to tell him something. _**No relationship can survive either**__. _

. . . . . . .

Brennan tried to open her eyes against a pounding headache. Her head seemed fuzzy. She squinted at the clock trying to find out what time it was. _Ugh! This is the hangover of the century_. She ran her hands through an absolute mess of her hair and tried to get up from her bed. _What happened?_ Ah yes… She had gone out with Ruth. And it was herself who suggested a club would be a nice 'distraction'. She should _so_ not have done that. She didn't know what got over her but soon enough she was drunk. _Very_ drunk... Thankfully, her friend had refrained from drinking saying she was an alcoholic. _At least someone was sober enough to get me back to my apartment._ Brennan rubbed her eyes with the heel of her palms. She couldn't remember last night's events very clearly. Scratch that. She couldn't remember them at all... The only thing she could remember was she steered clear of Tequila. She drank all the varieties of alcohol available except Tequila…

She hated not remembering stuff. And she hated hangovers. They left her feeling useless and unproductive. Wait a second… She kind of remembered what happened. Bits and pieces of memory… She had had one too many drinks before she started spouting of facts about how the music in the club could be compared to African tribal music and how dancing had been a way of celebration and socializing since early origins of mankind across different cultures. She thought that she may have been over-zealous as she declared how in some ancient cultures dancing was also a way of mourning and parallels can be drawn to the present society.

Thankfully, Ruth had the sense to drag her out of there and call a cab. As her memory became clearer, Brennan found herself wishing that the night before didn't happen (though it was irrational to wish that she could change the past). It was probably about then that she had talked about homosexuality and how it was perceived in different cultures. She had declared that in the present society, women tend not to be as rigid in their sexual identities as men. It was probably because women don't define their femininity by their sexuality, but most men define their masculinity by their sexual orientation. It was somewhere around _that_ point that they kissed. She wasn't sure who had initiated it, but she remembered a sloppy (and thankfully short) peck on the lips. And a shocked expression on Ruth's face… _No, no, no… This can't be happening._ Maybe it was a figment of her imagination. That was probably all that it was. She couldn't remember clearly last night's events and it was probably a dream that her mind had misconstrued as a memory. It couldn't have possibly happened. Though she tended to be amorous when drunk, she wouldn't have done t_hat._ Another mess in her personal life… She couldn't deal with all these outrageously muddled, chaotic and messy emotional tangles in her personal life.

She sighed. _It probably never happened_. She had more than enough trouble with the change in the dynamics of Booth's and her partnership. She didn't need to add to that…

She hated the disorganized chaotic state of her life right now. She had always been good at compartmentalizing. She could always see a clear distinction between her personal and professional life. She had lines and boundaries and she was clearly aware of their definitions. A clearly defined partnership with Booth, a friendship with Angela, a clearly defined professional camaraderie with Cam and Hodgins… It was when these definitions started overlapping and the boundaries and lines had started blurring that she panicked… And she went to Maluku in order regain her objectivity and rationality. To regain the boundaries and definitions that had blurred… But, she had been unsuccessful. She could not gain back her cold objectivity and precise rationality but she found that she didn't mind losing them as much… She was content with the vague idea of family, love and home that revolved around the Jeffersonian. And then… Booth came back. With a girl-friend he loved. And she suddenly found herself wishing that she could regain rationality and objectivity… She found herself desperately wanting lines and boundaries back, so that she couldn't delude herself anymore…

But the more she wanted it, the more it seemed out of reach. Like she had been banished from the realm of rationality and objectivity and could go back no longer. It was like all her compartments were filled and now every relationship, professional and personal, was overflowing messily. Like she could compartmentalize no longer and since she doesn't have any experience of carrying on with life without compartmentalizing, she messed up everything… Everything in her life… Messy and chaotic, and she could do nothing about it. Because the dam _did_ break and now she could hold _nothing_ in any longer.

Her life was getting messier by the second and she couldn't lean on the one person she could always lean on. The one person who always helped her inter-personal relationships… The one person who always asked her to pop her heart into overdrive… Booth… _Booth…_

. . . . . . .

Her phone rang. Cam sighed. God! Couldn't murderers cut her some slack? If this was another gruesome half-decayed corpse ruining her weekend, she was sure that either she would shoot her phone or resign from Jeffersonian. She picked up her phone.

"Dr. Camille Saroyan."

"Cam, it is Booth." Replied a rough baritone from the other end. Maybe it was the lack of warmth in his voice or something else. But Cam had a feeling that something was wrong.

"What is it, Seeley?"

"Do not call me Seeley, _Camille_" He replied, his voice dripping with disdain. "What did you tell Hannah?"

"What? I have no idea-" Cam was interrupted by the angry voice.

"Don't play dumb, Cam. You were one of my oldest friends. I trusted you. How could you even _try_ to sabotage my relationship with Hannah?"

"Booth… I have no idea-"

"No idea about what I am talking about? Really?" Booth huffed. "I knew that you & Angela weren't happy with my relationship with Hannah. You guys made that clear on that day itself, at the lab. But I thought you were sensitive enough to respect my relationship with Hannah. And even though you guys didn't even _pretend_ to be happy for me, I was okay because I thought you wouldn't interfere. I trusted you guys to not interfere… I never thought you would stoop this low."

"Booth, I really have no idea what you are talking about. I never _ever_ tried to sabotage your relationship with _any_ woman, let alone Hannah."

"Oh yeah… So it was a little birdie who told Hannah about our ex-affair."Booth said, sarcastically.

"Our, as in you and I? I never told her anything about-"

"You know what? Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway. Just don't spring any more surprises on her, alright? I always thought you were my friend, but now… Now, I know better."

"Booth, I-" Cam was cut off by the click of the phone on the other end. She massaged her forehead with the fingers of her left hand as she tried to wade off an incoming headache. She muttered just one word, ominously. "_**Angela**_…"

. . . . . . .

* * *

A/N: Review and you'll leave me pretty happy… Please… ^_^


	7. The Complications in The Relationship

A/N: This chapter will be very short, and I'm sorry for that. After surviving what can only be called as an absolute horror of a weekend (and an even worse Monday after), this is the best I can do. Probably the characters will be very OOC and the writing poor. Sorry about that.

Just for the record, I would like to state that I'm a B/B fan. And this is a B/B fic. So, please don't kill me. I haven't seen season 6, but I hate it already. This is my fix-it fic. But, before bringing them together, I just have to see Booth suffer. But, I assure you my loyalties lie with B/B shippers.

I'm trying to keep everyone in character and failing miserably. And trying to avoid grammar and spelling mistakes.

Thanks a whole lot to all who reviewed. (You guys make my days a little bit brighter.) And greater thanks to those who added this story to their favourites. I hope you'll enjoy the chapter…

Warning: Drama content and lots & lots of OOC-ness. Plus, a short chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended. (As if _anyone_ actually thinks I own Bones.)

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. . . . . . .

THE COMPLICATIONS IN THE RELATIONSHIP

. . . . . . .

* * *

Brennan got ready to go to the lab as usual. After all, what had changed? Nothing. Nothing at all. So what if she may have kissed another woman? As an anthropologist she already knew that woman do not tend to be rigid about their sexual identities. So what if she is having one hell of a hangover and her head feels like it is being rammed into concrete wall repeatedly? So what? She was Dr. Temperance Brennan and she always made productive use of her time. She was going to go to the Jeffersonian and work and derive pleasure from it as she always had. She was okay. She was more than okay. She was fine, except for the pounding headache of course. She was fine…

Brennan was about to leave her apartment when she saw a folded piece of paper on her coffee table. _A note?_ Right! She had been so drunk that Ruth had to bring her back to her apartment. Also, Ruth had to help her take of her shoes and help her settle into her bed. Probably, this was left by her... Just a note. Nothing bad could come out of it, right? But, quite irrationally Brennan nearly feared the little piece of paper or rather what it had to say. She carefully picked up the note almost as if she was expecting a monster to jump out of it. She had a feeling that something bad was about to happen, though it is completely illogical that she should feel anything like that. Perhaps, this was what Booth called gut feeling? She sharply inhaled as she opened the little piece of paper.

* * *

_You were so drunk that you were practically sweating alcohol._

_Plus, I have been told (repeatedly) that I have irresistible lips._

_So don't worry about it… _

_- __Ruth_

_PS: Hope you like it. I have never seen something __**that **__beautiful in a long long time._

_

* * *

_

It was completely illogical, but she felt better. Almost reassured. She slowly flipped the little rectangle of paper that was beside the note. It was a photograph. Correction: A photograph of her. A photograph of a completely drunk Brennan looking up at the sky. But, there was something quite… tranquil, serene… in it. Even though she was drunk, her face held a beauty that she couldn't see these days when she looked in the mirror. Her face was relaxed. She was relaxed. And she was looking up at the sky. Not staring and trying to find answers, not an accusatory gaze either. Not looking at the sky and trying to identify the constellations or trying to find a way to erase the pain she is feeling in her chest. She was just… _looking_. Just looking at the sky… Like how a small child looks into the vast expanse of sky in sheer adoration and awe. A calmness radiating from her… An aura of serenity was surrounding her. She had a small smile gracing her face as she had turned her head slightly upwards to gaze the sky with a nonchalance as well as awe. A very small smile… but very beautiful too…

Brennan almost felt like she was looking into the face of a much calmer and younger Temperance rather than a drunken herself from just the night before. And involuntarily a small smile tugged at her lips. She felt as if she was drawing some tranquility and strength from the photograph. Though the notion was absolutely ridiculous and absurd, she felt herself smile… It was a long time since she smiled… A longer time since she felt even remotely calm. These days she always agitated, tense, frantic… Teetering along the edge of sanity… But, quite illogically, she felt calmer now.

She smiled…

. . . . . . .

Angela had just gotten off the phone. Cam had been on the other end. And she knew that for the safety of herself _and_ her future baby she had better go and talk to Booth. And probably even apologize to him. Apologize to the Booth with whom she was furiously mad at right now… Apologize for _his_ inability to tell the truth to the woman he 'loves'. But, given the choice between apologizing to Booth and dealing with an angry as hell Cam, she would go with apologizing to Booth. So, here she was standing before Booth with her best impression of cute-puppy dog face.

"What is it Angela? I really don't have time for any more of your lectures on what I want and what I love, right now." Booth mumbled, pre-occupied with the task of arranging the files in his desk. An impatient tone etching into his voice.

Okay, the best way to deal with an agitated Booth is plunge head-on. No use beating around the bush. "I was the one who told Hannah about you and Cam."

Booth's head jerks up.

Time to go all in. "It was not Cam. It was me... But, it was purely unintentional. I swear… I didn't mean to say it. It just… kind of slipped out, I guess. I'm sorry." Angela tried to pull out her _I'm-a-pregnant-woman-who-means-no-harm_ face.

"You?" Booth asked, his voice slightly hoarse.

"I didn't mean to, I swear. I really didn't!"

"Fine. I accept your apology." Booth huffed, putting on a fake smile. "Can you go now? If you can't see, I have lots of work to do right now." Said Booth as he tried to prove his point by shuffling the files on his desk and punching his staple a couple of times.

"So, you'll talk to Cam? It wasn't her fault. And I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it… I really didn't." Angela asked in a slightly hopeful tone.

"You know what? You did. Alright? You _did_ mean to do it. Maybe not consciously but subconsciously you did."

"Booth, you _do_ know that you're starting to sound like Sweets, don't you?" Angela asked, slightly amused.

"Whatever." He replied. "The point is both you and Cam has made your stand clear. You guys are not supportive or pleased with my relationship with Hannah. That is okay. Just don't try to sabotage my relationship with her."

"No, Booth. We aren't trying to-"

"No! You listen to me." Booth interrupted her. "You guys have this weird notion that nothing is right in the universe if Bones and I are not romantically involved or something... You have got it into your head that we are some modern day version of Romeo and Juliet or something. Well, let me give you a reality check. This is the _real_ world. The world where people fall in and out of love. The world where you have to work to maintain a relationship. The real world. And in this world, Bones and I are partners. Just partners... And that is all we will ever be. Hannah and I have something real. And I would really appreciate it if you didn't try to ruin it."

"Okay. A, Bren and you have got something better than Romeo and Juliet. B, I didn't mean to say it. I told you. I'll make it up to her. We'll include her in our make-shift family. We all could go out together for a girl's night out. Whatever you want…" Angela said, gesticulating wildly to show that she'll make it up to Booth, in any way possible.

"Yeah… I'm sure Hannah would be more than pleased to go out with Cam and you right now. She would be real comfortable. It wouldn't be awkward at all!" Booth retorted, sarcastically.

"I'm _really_ sorry. I-"

"Could you _please_ go now? I have some _real_ work to do." Booth said in a dismissive manner.

"So, we're cool?"

"You…" Booth sighed exasperatedly as he ran his hands through his hair. "You guys should have been more supportive." He said before opening the door as a sign for Angela to move out.

Getting the message, as Angela moved to go out, she turned around and said. "No matter what, I still say that you and Bren are the _real_ deal."

"It is not as easy as it seems, Angela." He said his voice slightly wistful.

Angela placed her hands on Booth's shoulders forcing him to look into her eyes. She smiled. "No, you're wrong, Booth." She paused, before holding his gaze and continuing. "It is not as _difficult_ as it seems."

And with that she walked out.

. . . . . . .

She had been typing something in her computer as Angela walked in. Though she was still incredibly beautiful and looked fresh and crisp in her professional attire, she looked tired too. She looked incredibly weary and exhausted, like each day was a battle. Her eyes had held the wisdom that usually comes after enduring lots of hardships in life. And it only seemed to increase these days. Angela was an artist, and she believed she had the ability to sense things. Sometimes she wished that she didn't have that ability. Like right now. Because she could sense that Brennan was not as happy-go-lucky as she used to be. Not as oblivious as she used to be. These days she seemed sort of sad. She seemed like she was fighting a losing battle each day. And for Angela, sometimes her friend's pain seemed to be too much for her to bear. She wished she couldn't sense these things.

"Hi Sweetie." Angela chirped, trying to keep her tone even and happy.

"Hi Angela." Brennan looked up at her and smiled, before returning to her work.

"Bren, I was wondering whether you would want to go out and do something fun. You know, do something other than work. Glug-glug whoo-hoo?"

Brennan lifted her head up to look Angela in the eye and looking decidedly apologetic, she murmured, "I'm sorry, Angela. I already have plans for today. Maybe we could do it some other time?" Brennan said, a hopeful tone entering into her voice.

Angela smiled. "Sure, sweetie." Then, slightly waggling her eyebrows suggestively, she added. "And who do you have plans with? Anyone I know?" Angela sat down in a chair, slightly leaning forward, a suggestive glint gleaming in her eyes. It almost felt like old times.

"No, you don't know her. Her name is Ruth. Ruth Berkely." Brennan replied, once again engrossed in her work.

"Wait a minute." Angela shook her head, amused. "He is not a he? He is a she?"

"I don't know what that means."

Angela suppressed a grin, trying to hide both her amusement and genuine happiness at their familiar friendly banter. "You are going out with a woman? Someone from the female species?"

"She's a…" Brennan paused. "She's a friend." Brennan replied, sounding unsure. _Friend or acquaintance?_

"Sweetie…" Angela sighed and Brennan knew that she was going to have a long conversation. "You don't have friends that I do not know of."

A pause. "She is not exactly a friend."

"So, you're dating her?" Angela asked, this time unable to suppress her smile.

"No. I do not suppose that this social setting fulfills the criteria of dating." Brennan replied her eyes still fixed on her computer and typing something profusely.

"Okay, let me break this down for you. Are you having sex?" Angela asked.

"What?" Brennan asked, her head suddenly jerking up. "No, Ange. We aren't having sex."

"Oh… so it is a completely platonic friendly outing with someone who is _not_ exactly your friend?" Angela asked, one of her eyebrows raised.

Brennan remained silent, the only sound permeating the room being her incessant tapping on the keyboard.

"Bren…" Angela sighed. "I know that sometimes being with a woman can be just… _wow_. I mean, sometimes they have some moves that the guys can't even imagine." Angela smiled a secretive grin. "Plus, I can't wait to see the expression on Booth's face when he comes to know that you are dating a woman. I would probably need a camera to capture THE Moment of the Millennium. As much as I would love that, I don't think you should do this."

"Angela… I-I am not _dating_ her. We are just… just going out."

"And so, it is a completely platonic friendly outing?" At Brennan's reluctance to answer, Angela continued. "Okay, I'll help you out. A, you're dating her. B, you're _so_ not dating her, it is just friends hanging out. C, it is just for sex. D, you _are_ dating her, without the sex part. Kind of like how Booth and you have been doing all these years."

Brennan scoffed. "Angela, Booth and I never dated."

"Yeah, and pigs fly." Angela rolled her eyes.

"No, pigs cannot fly Angela and I do not see how that is pertaining to our conversation." Brennan muttered, confused.

"Never mind, Sweetie. Just an expression." Angela chuckled. "So, which one is it?"

"I…" Brennan has stopped typing right now. "Well, I- I don't… It-It is none of those, Angela. It is…"She struggled for an appropriate term. "It is _different_." She finished lamely.

A brief pause. "It is _complicated_, Ange." Brennan finally said, in all seriousness.

"Bren, I -" Suddenly, Brennan's phone beeped twice.

"It's Booth." Brennan declared as she checked her phone. "There is a case. Booth needs me." Brennan stated as she hurried out of her office.

Angela mentally cursed the faultless timing of Brennan's phone. It seemed that both the partners had the blessings of lady luck in the form of their cell phones. She had heard Sweets grouch about the impeccable timing of Booth's phone and now she knew what Sweets felt like.

"Yeah, Booth needs you alright. And I have a feeling that he is gonna realize just how much pretty soon." Angela mumbled to the empty room as she got up.

Angela mentally replayed their whole conversation. That is when something struck her. Brennan had said that her relationship with this new woman (_whatever her name was_) was complicated. The crisp and clean Brennan who had clearly defined boundaries would have never used '_complicated'_ as an adjective for _any_ of her relationships.

"Oh wow." Angela muttered as she stumbled back into the chair. This maybe more serious than she had originally thought…

. . . . . . .

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A/N: Please review… I am going through a hell of a time and your reviews would really help me.

Next week: What happens when Booth comes to know of Ruth?

Soon: Strains in Booth and Hannah's relationship as Booth's jealousy mounts and Booth apologizing to Cam.


	8. The Memories in The Song

Thanks a gazillion to all those who added this stories to their favourites. You guys make my day. Thanks a lot to all those who took the pain to review (you are really kind souls). Thanks to all those who added this story to their alerts as well.

I'm thinking of writing a few one shots and another fluffy fic to act as a counter-weight to all the angst and drama. Will let you guys know if my ideas come to fruition.

I'm a die-hard B/B fan. But I'm partial to Bones(very much). I think Booth should have tried harder (as he knew she was gonna run) and Booth sure as hell should not have 'fallen-in-love' in Afghanistan. So, in this fic, now it's the turn for Booth to suffer. And after making him suffer & jealous, to my heart's content (which won't be _that_ long, trust me). I'll get Booth & Bones together. Till then hope you enjoy the drama and bear with me.

Plus, I'm too much of B/B fan to actually make Ruth & Brennan 'date' date. Though Ruth will continue to be a character till nearly the end of the fic and there will be a relationship between Brennan and Ruth, it _won't_ be a strictly romantic relationship. I assure you that.

Fun fact: Did you know that 'Brennan' means tear-drop or Raven?

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Warning: Drama and OOCness.

I am still in an awful mood, feeling desperate & angry and trying to combat depression (or rather sinking into deeper glooms of depression), and my moods are usually reflected in my writing. But I've tried to make the chapter as good as possible, trying to portray the angsty part & the fun part with equal justice. Leave a comment to express what you felt.

As you may already know, English is not my first language , so forgive my grammar and spelling mistakes, and mixed up idioms.

Onto the story…

* * *

. . . . . . .

THE MEMORIES IN THE SONG

. . . . . . .

* * *

"I find it interesting to note that people in Western culture generally tend to use inanimate objects as an analogy or metaphor to describe the attributes of others, rather than living organisms." Brennan stated as she opened the door to her apartment, both of them steeping inside.

"Care to elaborate?" Ruth asked.

"Well... generally, in modern Western culture, most of the similes and metaphors include non-living things such as…" Brennan pondered over it a bit, her eyebrows drawn together as she tried to find an example. "Ah… such as 'pale as a moon' or 'red as a rose.' Whereas in Oriental culture, which still derives from the ancient notions of love, the similes tend to be more inclined towards the Animal Kingdom. Such as, in some cultures the perfect shape for one's eyes is considered to be that of the body of a fish. The name 'Meenakshi' literally translates to 'eye like a fish'. Similarly, if we look at their many ancient texts or epics, we can observe that the hair is compared to be as black as a crow rather than dark as ebony."

Ruth chuckled. Brennan opened her refrigerator and asked "Beer?"

"No thanks. Reformed alcoholic." She replied with a wink. "Hmmm…" She hummed as Brennan came back and took a seat next to her.

"What 'hmm'?" Brennan asked "You sound as if you found something amusing."

"Nothing. I'm just pleasantly surprised to learn a new side of you." She muttered.

"Like you were pleasantly surprised to learn that I was a leading forensic anthropologist and a best-selling author?"

"No… That… That is called _outright_ _shock_, alright? Stunned…Astounded… I mean, it is really humbling to share an evening with a celebrity."

"Okay." Brennan said, ever-curious and never modest. "So what were you pleasantly surprised about?"

"Well, the simple fact that, you are not as literal or clinical as you make others believe." Ruth replied.

"From what did you arrive at _that_ conclusion?" Brennan asked, amused.

"Well, firstly you observe and learn, including language. You…" Ruth answered making gestures in the air. "You-You have this weird ability to make comparison and analogies without actually making them. Like when you were at the club that night, totally-"

"Inebriated." Brennan completed her sentence for her.

"I was going to say 'wasted' but I guess, inebriated would work too." Ruth smiled. "You started comparing the club to some African watering hole or something... Saying that everyone there was tribals, dancing around to celebrate or mourn their losses."

"That was not what I meant." Brennan argued. "What I said was that parallels could be drawn to-"

Ruth interrupted her. "The point is you see the connection in everything. The similarity… You can see that human beings are essentially the same. Their hopes, dreams, and fears are essentially the same…"

"Well, I _am_ an anthropologist. And anthropology deals with the collective study of –"

"No, not just that… You find a connection that others would struggle to find because you have a different way of looking at things. A special way… a unique way… And that is why I said you are not literal or clinical. Because even though you know the popular culture, you just choose to look at it differently." Ruth grinned at her. "A different perspective, if you will…"

"Well, I'm not sure whether that was a compliment, but if it was thank you." Brennan replied.

"Yes, it was."

A comfortable silence. Brennan took a sip of her beer.

"So, what are your anthropological observations about me?" Ruth asked, smiling. "You always make observations on everything, including people. If I didn't know better I would have said that you are a psychologist."

"No… I _hate_ psychology." Brennan replied.

"Ditto." Ruth agreed.

"And I haven't made any observations about you. Except that you are very secretive and mysterious." Brennan shook her head. "I barely know you enough to make any observation."

"You find me mysterious?" Ruth inquired, with a sly grin and suggestive waggle of eyebrows.

Brennan laughed out loud. "Okay… Maybe not mysterious. But definitely secretive."

"Hey… I have no secrets. I'm just a 29 year old named Ruth Berkely. A poor receptionist from a boring firm. That's all... Nothing interesting to be secretive about. _You_ are the one with a dangerous job and an exciting life."

"Yet, it remains a mystery as to why you spend a specified amount of time at a particular place without any reason." Brennan stated, quite bluntly.

"Yeah well, it is- it's…" Ruth stuttered.

"You don't have to explain. Anthropologically speaking, humans sometimes associate the memory of a certain event or person into an inanimate object as a way of coping with grief. Though it is quite irrational and ludicrous, many a times that is how an individual moves on with the loss of the member of the tribe."

"Oh, it is not as if you have _never_ associated a memory to an inanimate object." Ruth protested.

And suddenly Brennan remembered. _Daffodils, her mother's earrings, dolphins, Jasper, Brainy Smurf, "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"… _And it is like a sudden pain in her heart. As if someone forced a pencil though it. Sharp and intense… The fact that she associates memories to random objects doesn't surprise her because she already knew. Already knew from that fated day onwards… The day when Booth got shot… The day when Booth died... She cannot listen to _that_ song anymore without the echoes of screams filling her ears and the smell and feel of blood permeating through her.

. . . . . . .

It was her. She had been the one to insist that she could sing better than Cyndi Lauper. Even when Sweets and Booth pointed out to her that her mother was just being affectionate, she had been the one to refute them and say that it was a factual statement.

It was her. When Booth asked her to sing, she was the one who maintained that she needed an atmosphere of fun and frivolity.

It was her. She had been the one who got up onto the stage and sang 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' when Booth provided her with an atmosphere of fun and frivolity.

It was her. She was the one who evoked the feelings of insecurity and jealousy into the deluded mind of Pam Nunan. She had been the one who that fricking psychopath thought was stealing Booth away from her.

It was her. It should have been her. She had been the target. She should have been the target. It was HER. Goddamit! It was her… her… _her…_

But it happened to be him. He had been the one who shot. He had been the one who was bleeding. He had died… It happened to be him… He was the one who died…

. . . . . . .

Brennan couldn't remember much of what had happened. She could always remember… She always did… But this she cannot remember clearly… Just like she couldn't remember the immediate days after her parents abandoned her. Sweets would have probably said something along the lines of the subconscious trying to repress unpleasant memories… _Unpleasant_? Try agonizing… Life-shattering… Soul-ripping… Those seemed better adjectives than 'unpleasant'.

She was singing... She remembered that much. She was singing and Booth was practically leaping from his seat. _Pure joy_… Carefree… Happy… The sound of laughter was mixing with the song. Was she laughing too? Yes, she was… She was happy… laughing and singing… Looking into Booth's eyes as it held so much happiness… Almost enough to heal all her scars…

Suddenly she saw Booth turn his head. She tried to look from the corner of her eye as to what Booth saw. And suddenly, Booth scrambled to stand between her and Pam. _Pam?_ The sharp metallic ring of a shot fired reverberated through the room. And before Brennan could even wipe the smile on her face from a few minutes ago, Booth fell… _Booth fell…_

She doesn't remember much after that. But like an absolutely horrifying nightmare playing before her eyes, she remembers the feel of hot blood beneath her fingers… Booth's blood… She remembers how she saw Booth's eyes close… Slowly… _oh so_ slowly… Like he was drifting away into sleep… Drifting away into darkness… Drifting away into death. She remembered…

Remember is too feeble a word. She experiences that incident again and again for days after the actual incident occurs… She _lives_ it… She _feels_ the blood, she _hears _the screams, she _watches_ as Booth's eyes close despite her pleas to stay with her… to make it… To live.

She doesn't remember the ride to the hospital. She doesn't remember the explanation doctors gave. (_If she had listened to them, maybe she could have made out that they were lying. The death was fake._) She doesn't remember Angela and Cam crying. She doesn't remember Hodgins and Zack looking bewildered (_yet tearful_) as if they can't believe it happened what had happened. She can't remember how Angela tried to hug her and revive her from the land of the dead upon seeing her expressionless face. She doesn't remember how she just shrugged off her hug and ignored the question "Are you alright, Dr. B?" from Hodgins. She doesn't remember how she didn't even answer Cam's polite enquiry as to whether she should drive her home. She doesn't remember all of her friends' (_family's?_) shocked faces upon seeing a totally shut off, non-responsive Brennan. It was hard for them to believe that this was the same Brennan who was singing and having fun just a few hours ago. She doesn't remember how she reached her apartment. She doesn't remember how all the blood got in her shirt… She doesn't remember… She _can't_ remember… She CAN'T REMEMBER…

She is sitting in her bedroom. In the darkness… In the silence. Angela was crying today. So was Cam. Or was that yesterday? Did a day pass? She can't seem to remember… She can't seem to distinguish… She doesn't know why they were crying. Yes, Booth died. So what? So many people die every day. She knew the exact statistics, but can't seem to remember them, now. She doesn't feel anything… Anything at all… She is wrapped up… Cocooned in the comfortable numbness… She doesn't feel anything. No pain… No joy… No smiles… No agony… No anger… No tears… No warmth… Her apartment seemed… bleak, for the lack of a better word. Empty. Her apartment was empty, though it was filled with furniture, artifacts and books. She was living in an empty apartment. In a void. She was living in a void… She couldn't seem to distinguish when yesterday ended and today began… All time and world was flowing around her… But not encompassing her… She was shielded… Shielded by this invisible comfortable numbness…

She was sitting there, staring blankly at the walls… Enjoying the silence…. When she suddenly realized that there was no silence. Somebody was screaming… Screaming their heart out… Screaming and shrieking and yelling and howling… Funny, how she hadn't noticed that till now… She had thought she was sitting in silence and enjoying it… God! The screams sounded so heart-broken, like how a puppy yelps when a stone is thrown at it… Howling… Like somebody had their hearts ripped open… Like somebody was eaten alive… Burned alive… Like they had been screeching and screaming for so long and their throats had been scraped raw…

Probably it was her neighbours. What the hell were they doing? Some weird S&M sex? She was going to get up and ask them to keep it down, when she realized it… _She_ was the one who was screaming… _She_ was the one screaming into the silence of the night…

It was _her_...

. . . . . . .

She felt that nothing had changed. Maybe she didn't work on cases anymore… That's all. She was functioning satisfactorily. She was very well. Though she _did_ wish that the suffocating silence dissipated very soon. Silence was weighing down on her from all sides, as quite irrationally she felt that it was difficult to breathe… Claustrophobia creeping into her, though she was in the vast lab. She found that her colleagues were conversing quite animatedly a little distance away from her. Wildly gesticulating and sometimes pointing in her direction. It was funny how no sound came out of their mouths. She observed her friends' interaction with a morbid fascination. (When she was kid, she sometimes turned on the 'mute' button and watched TV, as she found it very humorous.) It was funny to see them move their lips so frantically and yet, no sound came. It was funny how silence prevailed…

. . . . . . .

She was back in her apartment. Everything was the same. Bleak and silent. Suffocating in the stale air. She looked around dispassionately. Not a single emotion flickering over her face. Her eyes caught at the tiny pig figurine. _Jasper_. But now, it had been reduced from Jasper to an inanimate small figurine. Its eyes held no more warmth. It had a cold, disturbing glance… And so, Brennan jerked her eyes away. Nothing had changed. It seemed absurd to her that her friends behaved as though a cataclysmic event had occurred. Booth died, that is all…

She still worked, mechanically. She still ate, like a machine. _Take the food, put it in your mouth, chew, swallow. Repeat till food is over. _She still behaved like she did before (or so she hoped). It was all so mechanical once again. She would sit on her bed and watch the seconds tick by on her alarm clock. And once the hour hand reached a specific numeral, she would stand up and go to the bathroom. She would brush her teeth, take a bath, get dressed… She would go to the Jeffersonian and get her work done as usual. She would continue with her automated life.

She had been staring at the alarm clock to pass the night as usual. She doesn't remember when she had accidentally closed her eyes and fallen asleep. She should have predicted it; the human body cannot survive more than 48 hours of sleeplessness. But she didn't, and she paid the price…

. . .

She was standing on the platform at the lab with a stark skeleton placed on the table before her. And though she couldn't figure out who the victim was yet, she felt like she had a familiarity with the victim. The skeleton… As if she knew it personally…

_Male, nearing forty, multiple fractures on the feet (__consistent with a torture method in the middle east), broken ribs(the fractures indicating that the ribs were spread in such a manner as if protecting someone), nicks on the clavicle… _And as she lifted the skull and looked into its hollow eyes, she knew… She gasped and put the skull back onto the table as if it had burned her… She took a step back. Suddenly flesh started growing onto the bare skeleton… so rapidly… Flesh and veins and blood pumping and growing into the skeleton to give it a humanoid shape… A shape she knew too well…

_Booth… No! _She murmured. _No, no, no, no, no…!_ She yelled as finally skin grew onto the flesh. And in the end, his eyes opened. She stepped closer and looked at his corpse, pale and frail. And she slightly leaned over to look at his eyes. And it was the same brown eyes, that shone as she sang… Same eyes, but lifeless and cold… Lifeless and cold, staring at the wall… staring at her. Staring into her…

. . .

She gasped repeatedly trying to clutch at the last remnant air in her room. She looked around to notice that she was in her dark bedroom. In her bed. Her chest is still heaving as she tried to take gulps of air… She looked down to see that her hands were shaking terribly. She ran her trembling hands through her face and got up, only to fall face down onto the floor as her legs weren't stable enough to support her weight. She half-crawled, half-walked to her bathroom and puked. After what seemed ages, she had stopped puking and now she lay asleep on the cold-tiled floors of her bathroom.

Next morning she went to the Jeffersonian as usual, looking clean and crisp and working productively, as she repeated "Work is satisfying" in her head like a mantra.

. . . . . . .

She remembered something along the lines of Angela begging with her to go to Booth's funeral as she needed a friend. She remembered going to it. She remembered thinking that the colors seemed bleak, like shades of grey now… And the sun seemed harsh. She remembered seeing them lower Booth's coffin into the hole dug out for him. She remembered telling someone that there is no benevolent God. Can't they get it? God is a fallacy. If there was a God, he wouldn't have taken Booth away from her, away from Parker… away from all those who loved him.

And then she remembered somebody fighting. And she saw Booth alive… alive not dead… And it was like, the whole universe suddenly burst into colour… Green trees and grass, blue sky… The sun mellowed. Everything burst into colour and the encompassing numbness that cocooned her suddenly dissipated… fizzed out into nothing… The world that had become a void suddenly burst back into life… As if Big Bang happened all over again… She felt things once again… She felt rather than shrivel up inside the numbness… She could feel… She was brought back to life… revived… And what she felt was anger… Inexplicable rage….

_That fricking bastard had been alive this whole time! _"Good shot, Bones!" She heard him encourage her, before she **punched him square in the jaw**.

. . . . . . .

"Temperance? Are you alright?" She felt someone shake her shoulders and she looked up. Ruth? _Ruth! Oh yeah… right._

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking." She replied. She sounded raw. And by the confused glance Ruth was giving she was sure that her facial expression had been quite awful too.

What were they discussing about? Ah… giving value to objects and associating people and memory with them. "Yes, I have also associated inanimate objects with memories or people or incidents."

Brennan replied as she gripped her beer bottle tighter.

"By the look of it, it doesn't seem to be a happy memory that you associated." Ruth smiled wistfully, looking at Brennan who still lokked pale and shaken.

As if debating over something with herself and finally reaching a decision, she adds, "I sit in the park everyday for an hour and a half in memory of her. She and I used to sit there and talk every day. Nothing special, you know. Just talk about everything and anything… After she died, I…" Her voice comes out a little choked, "I… lost it, I guess… I couldn't find peace, couldn't find meaning… I was agitated, frantic… and mad at the world. And one day I visited the park again. I found a sense of piece there that I couldn't find anywhere else. I felt as if someone was soothing me. So I sat there for the whole night. And from next day onwards I went there as I always did when she was alive. And though it may be stupid, or maybe there is a psychological reason for it, or maybe it is a coping mechanism, whatever be it; I am calmer when I am there. And visiting it, makes me a better person."

Brennan looked up to see Ruth standing with a rueful smile. Her eyes were slightly gleaming with unshed tears. Brennan could see that she had offered up a little bit of herself… a little bit of her burden to make her feel comfortable. Now, it was _her_ turn.

"I can sing better than Cyndi Lauper." Brennan stated. Then feeling slightly less confident, she added. "Or so my Mom used to say. So, when I said this to Booth during one of our inane conversations, he asked me to prove it. After that case, he had arranged a 'fun and frivolous atmosphere' so that I would sing. I was singing 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' and…" Brennan sighed. "I was singing and laughing because… I-I hadn't had that amount of fun in a long time. Booth was smiling too. And suddenly someone entered and… and shoots at me. And … And Booth had leapt in front of me. He... He took the bullet for me. He-He was shot… And there was blood… so much warm blood… and screams… and…" Brennan looked at Ruth to find her shocked face. She tried to regain her composure. She tried to smile but she could feel that it was a weak one. "Now…" She exhaled sharply. "Now, I can't _ever_ listen to _that_ song without expecting to hear the loud metallic ring of a bullet piercing through the air."

A silence hung in the room. Maybe she shouldn't have told that story. Maybe she had scared Ruth. Maybe…

"You know what?" Ruth asked, her eyes holding warmth. "You should try and create new good memories that you can associate with the song."

"No, I-" Brennan protested. But her protests fell silent as Ruth pressed her finger against Brennan's lips and staring into her eyes, murmured. "Trust me when I say this, Temperance. You _do not_ want to live with that pain for the rest of your life. And though sometimes, burying them deep inside works, it doesn't work always. Sometimes, you have to drag it out and override it with happier moments. Sometimes when you can't _escape_ your past, you have to _rewrite_ it."

She is absolutely sincere when she said this and maybe that is one of the reasons why Brennan doesn't argue with her. Suddenly the room is silent and it feels awkward as they both realize how close they are standing. Ruth removed her finger from her lips and cleared her throat. "So where is your stereo system?"

Brennan suddenly doesn't trust her vocal chords, so she pointed instead. Pretty soon the room was filled with the song that had been a part of many of her nightmares.

Ruth was moving to the groovy music and flexing her forefinger beckoned Brennan to join her.

Brennan shook her head, amused. "No, I am not joining you."

"Oh come on, Temperance…" Ruth half-whined, half-plead. "Have some fun… Girls just wanna have fun." She sang along the lyrics to persuade Brennan.

_I come home in the morning light,_

_My mother says "When you gonna live your life right?"_  
_Oh,mother,dear,_  
_We're not the fortunate ones,_  
_And girls,_  
_They wanna have fu-un._  
_Oh,girls,_  
_Just wanna have fun._

Brennan chuckled in spite of herself, but shook her head 'no'. She took another sip of her beer and watched Ruth dance ridiculously in her apartment.

"I guess I'll have to entice you." Ruth puffed as she jumped around in Brennan's apartment, making completely ridiculous moves and shaking her hips. Brennan laughed as Ruth did a Michael Jackson impersonation. (_She knows this from when Booth tried to make her see Michael Jackson in a pizza._) She spun around in a wide circle before extending her arm to Brennan and saying, "Come on, you may not get a chance to be a kid once again."

Maybe it was the beer, maybe it was the fact that she _really_ may not get a chance again, maybe she just couldn't resist the amount of fun that Ruth seemed to have, she doesn't know the reason, but Brennan joined Ruth in their silly dance. And before she knew it, both were singing the lyrics in the worst possible manner ever possible (_out of sync, out of breath_). But they were grinning like idiots, with their hair flying, and dancing like they had suffered from a spastic disease.

Ruth jumped onto a table. And waving her hands and moving her hips sultrily. Brennan also got onto the table to move and dance. And turn around to face Ruth as she sang. And before they knew it, they were both singing and laughing into each other's face. Brennan could feel her breath on her face, and she couldn't care less. Because right at this moment, she was just dancing… She didn't know who was dancing with her or where she was… Or rather she didn't care… She was simply dancing. And as she turned, her hand bumped into Ruth's chest spilling the rest of the beer onto her and soaking through her dress.

"Oh shit!" Ruth laughed, and Brennan couldn't help but smile.

. . . . . . .

Booth knew that he had been kind of distant with Bones and the squints lately. But, how can they blame him? He had to manage a dangerous job, a stubborn partner, a wonderful son whom he gets to see only on weekends, a beautiful girlfriend and a whole team of super-squinty scientists. He had to make time for Hannah now and that may cut his time with his friends. Well, it wouldn't have been such a problem if _somebody_ hadn't got a blabbermouth and spilled out _something_ to Hannah and now, obviously Hannah feels uncomfortable with the squints. He sighed.

He knew that Bones had been upset that day. He knew it because he _knew_ it. And as if to prove, his gut feeling, Bones had been kind of avoiding him lately. So, as a peace-treaty, he had thought of picking up Bones early in the morning itself (_these days she came in her car_). It would be something nice for her. Nice but not out of line. It was just a cup of coffee.

So, here he was standing in front of her apartment door, with a cup of coffee in one hand and his other hand pounding on her door. "Bones…It's me Booth. Wakey wakey." He sang through the door.

And since he was Special Agent Seeley Joseph Booth and she was Dr. Temperance Brennan and the world had not flipped upside down overnight, the last thing Booth expected to see when the door open was…

A petite redhead wearing nothing but one of Brennan's work shirts and shorts… A petite redhead _**WOMAN**_! With tousled hair and sleepy eyes, smiling kindly at him. "Oh… you must be Agent Booth." Her smile widened. "Temperance is in the shower. She'll be out in a minute. I'm Ruth." She extended her hand in a hand-shake.

Booth just blinked his eyes and stared at the offending appendage extended to him. _What? _His eyes widen. _WHAT THE HELL?_

. . . . . . .

A/N: Reviews will make next chapter faster. ^_^

Next: Booth's reaction to Ruth.


	9. The Agitation in The Agent

Sorry, I couldn't personally thank all those who reviewed. I was busy trying to clean up the mess in my life. But, I would like to say that my gratitude hasn't diminished in any way, whatsoever. You guys reviewing is one of the few best things that is happening to me.

Thank you so very much to all those who added this story their favourites. It means a lot to me and gives me the perseverance to continue writing this fic. Thank you to those who added this story to their alerts as well, it feels good to know that you would like to read my story.

Thanks everyone.

I think Hodgins has shown himself a better example of love than Booth because he still loved Angela even when he broke up with her. Even when she was dating other guys… He was patient and loyal. Even though B/B is my favourite pairing in the show, Hodgela seems more true at this moment. I just wish that Booth would learn from Hodgins.

Anyway, this is my fix-it fic for season 6. I haven't seen a single episode of season 6 so forgive me if the facts or characters are not congruent.

English isn't my mother tongue, so there would be plenty of spelling and grammar mistakes. Sorry about that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Warning: OOC-ness and Drama.

I was actually going to write a long chapter (this chapter and the next chapter melded together). But then, my sis told me that mixing fluff (which hopefully you'll find in this chapter) and drama and angst (in the next chapter) may not be a good idea. So, I am splitting the chapter. So, this one will be short.

Anyway, I am going through a tough phase. So, writing fluff right now isn't _that_ easy for me. I'm actually in the mood for some heavy angst and anger (well, who wouldn't be if your best friend of seven years backstabbed you). So, the quality of the fluff or humor or whatever may not be that good. It may not be good at all… Hope it turns out to be funny. (Fingers crossed).

Anyway… onto the story… Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

. . . . . . .

THE AGITATION IN THE AGENT

. . . . . . .

* * *

Since he was Special Agent Seeley Joseph Booth and she was Dr. Temperance Brennan and the world had not flipped upside down overnight, the last thing Booth expected to see when the door open was…

A petite redhead wearing nothing but one of Brennan's work shirts and shorts… A petite redhead _**WOMAN**_! With tousled hair and sleepy eyes, smiling kindly at him. "Oh… you must be Agent Booth." Her smile widened. "Temperance is in the shower. She'll be out in a minute. I'm Ruth." She extended her hand in a hand-shake.

Booth just blinked his eyes and stared at the offending appendage extended to him. _What? _His eyes widened. _WHAT THE HELL? _

_

* * *

_

. . . . . . .

Special Agent Seeley Booth couldn't be surprised that easily. Maybe it was because he was an ex-sniper or maybe it was because he listened to his impeccable gut feelings. Whatever be the reason Seeley Booth was not an easy man to surprise.

But Dr. Temperance Brennan always had this special knack of surprising him… "Surprise" seemed _too mild_ a word. "Shock the HELL out of him" seemed more accurate. Seeley Booth _knew_ that _his_ Bones was nothing ordinary and he couldn't predict her. Though the woman was mind-bogglingly organized and doesn't make decisions without a Boolean flowchart, she was as unpredictable as they came. So, Seeley Booth was always prepared to be surprised by Bones. But… but… Even though he hadn't taken her monotonous life for granted this _was_ a surprise. More than a surprise… A bolt from the blue.

And the only thought that crossed the Agent's mind for a long time (nearly two whole minutes)was – _WHAT THE HELL?_ It was not that he was a prude… but… but… _WHAT IN THE WORLD? _

The disgustingly beautiful woman's hand was still extended but her smile seemed to falter slowly. "Hi. I'm Ruth Berkely?" The woman said, though it seemed more of a question that a statement. Booth just stared at the hand _and_ the woman as if she was a piece of the jigsaw puzzle that didn't fit. He just stared at her trying to comprehend the situation.

Suddenly as if snapping out of a reverie, he just stared at her in abject horror before sidestepping her and pushing past her to get into _his_ Bones's apartment. Ruth still hadn't even turned around, when he yelled, "BONES?"

"She's in the bathroom." Offered the woman from behind him, but he just ignored her, as if she didn't exist. Or rather he couldn't hear her…

"BONES? Where are you?" Booth bellowed, looking around the apartment, ignoring Ruth in general as if she was just another piece of furniture. "Bones…." He growled.

"What is it Booth?" came the reply from the anthropologist who was wearing nothing but a bathrobe and looking very pissed. "I need few more minutes to get ready. You may have to wait." Brennan replied.

"Bones!" Booth exclaimed, jerking his head (_not so subtly_) towards the woman standing behind him, before half-hissing and half-whispering "Who is _this_?"

Brennan looked confused before looking at Ruth who was trying very valiantly to hide an amused smile (or rather a snigger). _Oh… Oh! That was what had agitated Booth. _Brennan opened her mouth to tell him something but no words seemed to come out. At last…

"Booth, this is Ruth." Brennan said gesturing towards the woman in question. "Ruth. Meet my FBI partner, Agent Seeley Booth."

Booth turned around to look the woman in the eye and replied, "It is _Special_ Agent Seeley Booth." He, once again turned to Bones, questioning her silently with his look.

"Yeah… Nice to meet you." Ruth replied to Booth's back, sarcastically. He had to resist the urge to turn around and stick his tongue out. As Bones walked to her bedroom to get changed, Booth followed her.

"Bones… Bones… Bones, wait a sec." He caught her by her elbow to turn her around. At a deliberate look from her, he removed his hands and raised them in mock surrender.

_One, Two, Three, Four… Take deep breaths.__ No manhandling. Don't agitate her __**or**__ put her in a defensive mode. Just calm down. Take a deep breath. Smile. Just ask her politely._ "Okay…" He exhaled deeply. "And who is this… this Ruth?"

Brennan looked at Booth in utter bafflement as he tried to control some strong emotion and tried to give what could have been a smile. (It could have been a smile, if it was turned upside down.)

By the look of her face, he knew that he'd have to clarify. "Bones… Are- Are you… Are you dating her?"

His voice is a conspiratorial hiss as if he had said something very scandalous. Brennan would have been amused by his behaviour had it been some other situation. That was when it suddenly clicked for her. A woman opening the door in her work shirt…

_Oh! Booth must have thought I was engaging in a sexual relationship with Ruth and it must have offended his Catholic sensibility._ Brennan was about to explain how that was not the case and how she had lent it to Ruth as she had ruined her dress by spilling beer on it. She was about to explain when she heard his next sentence.

"Not that I _care_ or something… I just asked." Stuttered Booth.

And suddenly just like that her desire to explain the situation vanished. Brennan felt angry and maybe a little bit hurt. Booth always cared about who she was dating. He always did. And though it felt condescending and over-protective, his Alpha male character _was_ endearing to her. She felt as if maybe… just maybe he wanted her too. She felt that he _cared_. He cared enough to do background checks on people she would date. He cared enough to try and interrupt the date if there was any way possible. He cared. Period. But to hear him say that he didn't care, hurt her a little bit; but more than that, it made her angry. It was irrational. It was selfish. But she _**was**_ angry. And that was probably the reason why she did what she did.

"Well, that's good then." Brennan replied with a contemptuous smile before going to her bedroom. "I have to change. Wait."

Her clinical tone cut him a little bit, but he walked back to her living room while running his hand through his hair frustrated. _God! That... that… woman. _Booth had reached her living room to find Ruth in a better state than earlier. She had put on a trench coat and had hastily combed her hair. This was better. At least this reined his wild imagination. _Whoa! Better not go there, young man_.

"I'm gonna go." Ruth declared, looking definitely awkward.

"Yeah, Good." He replied, standing many feet away from her. As if he was afraid she would give him cooties.

A long pause. She still hadn't gone.

"I am gonna wait. I wanna say good-bye to Temperance before I go." Ruth answered the question that seemed to linger in the room without either of them uttering it.

"Temperance… She calls her Temperance. Just fricking great!" Booth muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing."

A long awkward pause.

Had Angela been there she would have said her infamous lines, "Awkward, awkward, very awkward."

Ruth didn't miss the fact that the FBI agent had pulled back his jacket far enough to let her see his gun. _God! Men are such babies. As if she would be intimidated by the gun. He was a good guy, he couldn't just use it on anyone!_ She had to fight the urge to smile as he pouted in a way that would put any 5 year old in shame (though he seemed unaware of this fact as he concentrated on his thoughts.

He was mumbling something. Ruth couldn't get the whole thing but she could get few phrases and words.

"… and what kind of a name is _Ruth_?..." He had mumbled.

"Says someone whose name is Seeley." Ruth muttered under her breath knowing very well that the Agent would hear it. His eyes shoot up to her but she held her gaze. She had reached out for the coffee he had kept on the table earlier, when he shot up and practically leapt through the distance between them and tried to strangle the coffee out of her grip.

"It is _her _coffee. It's Bones's." He hissed through his teeth, leaning in so close that he was practically breathing in her face.

_Okay… So maybe the guy __**was **__intimidating. But she ain't gonna back down now. _"Okay, then. I'll give the coffee to Temperance."

"I bought it."

She can't believe this guy. Why the hell is he acting like the coffee is some coveted trophy that would win the princess's heart? "I caught it." She smirked.

Booth growled. He actually growled. He was sure that had this been a guy, he would have… he would have… Well, it doesn't matter what he would have done. But what bothers him is this… this _girl_ had the nerve to pretend as if she knew his Bones better than him. He was still continuing his staring contest, when he heard Bones' voice.

"Okay, I'm ready. Let's go." And as she took in the scene before her, her face fell.

. . . . . . .

Brennan took in the scene before her. Booth and Ruth holding on to a cup of coffee and standing so close to each other that she didn't have to be Sweets to know that they were having a standoff. And to top it all off, Booth was growling.

_He had no right! Absolutely no right!_ Booth was in a relationship. With Hannah. Hell, he was in love. With Hannah. He didn't have the right to intimidate her dates anymore. (Though Ruth wasn't dating her, she knew Booth thought so, and that was the reason why he was acting so strangely.) He didn't have the right to tell her that her choice in men (or women) was poor. He didn't have the right to be possessive. Not anymore…

Here she was, trying to be as supportive of his relationship with Hannah. Trying to be not possessive. Not even one little bit. Trying to be friendly with her. Trying to be happy for him. Trying to accept that he _has moved on_. And he was still acting like he owned her… He was still acting like they had something going on. It… It wasn't- it wasn't _**fair**_. It wasn't _fair_ that she had to be happy for him when he can't. It wasn't fair that she can't act possessive but he can… It just wasn't fair….

. . . . . . .

And something snapped inside her. She held her chin up. And walked to the two who were trying to win some kind of internal battle. They had seemingly disengaged and Ruth turned to Brennan while handing her the cup of coffee.

"Your coffee." She smiled. "I'm gonna go. Catch you later?"

"Yes, of course. I'll call you." Brennan replied, maybe a little more warmly than needed. She could see from the corner of her eyes that Booth was not enjoying their little conversation.

She doesn't know what had possessed her. But as Ruth reached the door and flashing a genuine grin, said "Bye Temperance." Brennan leaned near and gave her a peck on the cheek (near to the corner of her lips) that had probably shocked her as much as it had shocked Ruth.

Ruth looked confused and surprised but as she saw the look on the face of a certain FBI Agent, understanding dawned on her and she just smiled (or rather smirked) before going out.

Brennan turned around to face a tightly wound Booth and said, "Booth, we have to get going. Or else we will be late." And took a sip of her coffee.

Booth didn't say anything, just nodded before he walked out her door.

. . . . . . .

The car ride was so silent that he could have heard a pin drop. Both of them had not uttered a single word. The hum of the engine seemed deafening to Booth, though he knew that Bones would say it was irrational. He gripped the wheel tighter.

"So what does _this one_ do?" He asked. But talking before she could answer. "Wait… Let me guess. The last wild one was a deep sea welder. So, maybe she is a… A tattoo artist? No? An astronaut? Not that either, huh? A rocket scientist? Or maybe a software mogul? Or maybe-maybe a belly dancer?"

Brennan knew that he was mocking her. She had half the mind to kick him in the testicles, but she exercised her self-restraint. "No… Ruth. She is a receptionist."

"Oh… That is new…" Booth muttered.

He knew that she would start dating once again. He knew that and he was okay with that. He really was. Why shouldn't he be okay? He was happy with Hannah and he wanted Brennan to be happy with someone. Yes, of course he wanted that. And he was absolutely … 110% okay with that. He was fine… He was fine… But it is just that… It is a WOMAN! A woman, for heaven's sake! As if there is no man eligible left in the universe… It was not that he had a problem with her sexuality. He was okay with it. _Okay! Definitely not a good time to think about her sexuality._ It was just that it was a woman and she seemed confident and sure and…

"What was her last name again?" He asked.

"I'm not letting you do a background check on her, Booth."

"I wasn't going to-"

"You know what? Can we not talk for a while? I would like to go through the facts pertaining to the case." Brennan stated, her voice sounding like ice.

"Sure." He replied, though his face was scrunched up and he gripped the steering wheel even tighter.

Once again, silence filled the SUV.

. . . . . . .

Angela walked into Brennan's office holding a sketch pad. "I don't know what is going on with Booth but something is eating him. He is snapping the head off everyone at the lab." She sank into the couch. "I'm the one who is pregnant. I'm the one who is supposed to be unreasonable and angry. Not him! I wonder what got into him."

Brennan looked down upon the carpet guiltily. "I may have been the cause. I… I think I may have offended his Catholic sensibility."

"Oh Bren, How many times have I told you that don't say 'Jesus is a zombie' to Booth? Sweetie, though Jesus did rise from the dead, he is not a zombie. Because-"

"No, Ange… I-" Brennan sighed. "I may have offended him, because he saw me with a woman… With Ruth."

"WHAT?" Angela screeched, "Sweetie, you have to rewind & tell me EVERYTHING."

. . . . . . .

"KING OF THE LAB!" Hodgins exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air. Cam just shook her head.

"No, Hodgins. You are _not_ King of The Lab. You are NOT King of The Lab _till_ you find some particulate or spore or some bug slime or whatever the hell it is that you find, that connects our _suspect_ to the victim. The fact that you found a spore on our vic that is found in the region where our suspect lives is circumstantial evidence. So go on and find that clincher evidence." Booth replied.

At the baffled look from the entomologist. "Go on… Work on it." He added waving his hands. His phone rang. "What?" he barked into the phone. "Yes, I'm on it."

"I got a lead. Meanwhile, you squints... Do whatever it is that you do." He waves his hands distractedly. "Get me some evidence. 'Cause I'm gonna need it to nail this bastard. So WORK!"

"Wow… Booth is in a killer mood." Hodgins exclaimed as soon as the Agent in question walked out of the lab.

"Yeah… I'm supposed to be the bossy one here. Not him." Cam agreed.

"Well, is this case related to Booth in anyway? You know the victim being his friend? Old army-buddy?" Hodgins asked. "Booth gets snappy only when he gets emotionally attached. Or…." He suddenly gets excited. "Or when the Government is involved. Maybe this is a secret-"

"Dr. Hodgins, I really don't want to share your paranoia." Cam sighed.

"Well, _**I**_ know what is eating Mr. Snappy Snapperson." Angela replied in a smug voice as she sauntered in. Upon feeling two pairs of curious eyes on her, she grinned. "Ah… wouldn't you like to know."

"Well, it _has_ to be a really good scoop for you to grin like a Cheshire Cat." Hodgins replied as he smiled down at his wife.

"Well, Booth is blowing his head off because he met Ruth today." Angela gushed as she smiled, as if the statement was self-explanatory.

"And who is this 'Ruth'?" Cam asked.

Angela smiled and her eyes held a gleam that is usually found in Hodgins's eyes right before he yells 'King of The Lab'. She paused. The pause building up curiosity and Angela leaned forward to deliver the punch line.

"Ruth is the woman Bren is dating." Angela said slowly, uttering each word as if they didn't know English, but it had the effect of a momentous declaration.

"Whoooo…" Hodgins whistled. "Dr. B is dating a woman?"

"Yeah." Angela replied smugly just as Cam uttered "Oh my God!"

"Well, I can't blame the man, then. I _know_ what Booth is going through." Hodgins replied. "Man… I nearly lost it when you had started dating Roxie."

"Well, that is different." Angela replied, stepping closer to her husband. "We broke up, I started dating, and you felt jealous. But Booth… Well, he claims to be in love with another woman so he shouldn't be affected, right?" She winked at him.

"Are you saying that I reacted better than Booth?"

"Well, I am saying that I'm glad you had the patience to wait for me." Angela said as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder.

"Well… I am a patient man." Hodgins smiled.

"Yeah, says the guy who had to take Anger Management classes." Angela laughed. She is practically nose to nose with him as she said "You know, you are the best man for me." And she pulled him down for a kiss.

"Oh God! You two…" Cam said motioning her fingers between the kissing couple. "Get a room!"

Angela broke her kiss, to tell Cam, "Well, we would have, if a certain someone hadn't taken away my keys to the Egyptian Storage Room…"

Cam just rolled her eyes at her before walking to her office. A small smile graced her lips. _Ah… Young love._ But as she thought of Booth and Brennan, her face grew serious. _Oh God! Things are gonna get so much more complicated at the Jeffersonian!_

_

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_

. . . . . . .

Next week: What happens when Booth calls Brennan 'Bones'? Strains in Hannah-Booth relationship and End of jerk-Booth.

Would be awesome if you could leave a review… Mighty awesome…. Please… ^_^


	10. The Meaning of The Moniker

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all those who reviewed. It makes me smile and at least momentarily takes me out of my gloom. Thanks a whole lot to those who added this story to their favourites. It makes me want to write more. And thanks to all those who read this and added this story to their alerts. Huge thanks to both my sisters who help combat my depression and carry on with the writing.

Sorry for the incredibly late update, I have had an absolute rollercoaster of a week and I am sure somebody up there has cursed me to have Horrible Mondays. I know that's no excuse, but still it is a reason why I couldn't update earlier.

I have to sneak around and type this - away from the watchful eyes of my parents. This causes disruption in my thought process, so sometimes you may not find this chapter continuous but rather abrupt section of a story. Sorry about that.

I know angst is not what anyone can bear right now, so I have tried to minimize the angst. But I just had to kill off the jerk Booth of season 6 and bring our old Booth back. So, a little bit of angst and drama. After this chapter there won't be much angst but rather a jealous Booth and the story will move forward in a faster pace (rather than the present agonizingly slow pace of a snail).

And by the way, it's what happens when Booth calles Bones 'Brennan', not the other way around... Sorry for the spoonerism... :)

I haven't seen a single episode of season 6 so forgive me if the facts or characters are not congruent.

English isn't my mother tongue, so there would be plenty of spelling and grammar mistakes. Sorry about that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Warning: OOC-ness and Drama.

Desperate Plea: Retract Season 6.

* * *

. . . . . . .

THE MEANING OF THE MONIKER

. . . . . . .

* * *

Booth was having a headache. A really horrible one. He rubbed his temples trying to at least reduce the pain or whatever. God! He felt so tired… And old. He felt old, as if he was a 90 year old just wanting to lie on a bed and succumb to eternal sleep. He felt exhausted… and stressed out.

_Stress will only aggravate the situation, Booth. Recent studies have shown that prolonged stress can cause high blood pressure, heart conditions, and will also __negatively affect your performance which will obviously lead to more stress._

_Don't start thinking about Bones now_. Why did things have to be complicated? Why was God testing him? She was just… God! She was the most infuriating woman he had ever met!

A sweet voice floated to his ears. "I can't say I'm _too_ surprised. I mean, considering the fact that she wasn't dating any men and all… Maybe she was just waiting to come out of the closet…"

"SHE'S NOT A LESBIAN, Hannah!" Booth nearly shrieked, outraged. At Hannah's curious glance, he understood that _that_ was not an appropriate response to your _girlfriend_ when she says your best friend maybe homosexual.

He took a deep breath and replied, making sure that his voice was a normal even tone, not a high-pitched squeal that would put Angela to shame.

"She's not! Trust me. She has dated tones of men before. Okay? Most of them real scumbags… But, she has had sex with them… So – Not a lesbian. Hell! She had even dated two men at the same time once, okay? So… that's… that just isn't it. She isn't homosexual."

His mind told him that he _shouldn't_ be _**this **_zealous in proving to his girlfriend that his female best friend isn't homosexual. But, he'll worry about that later…

"Okay… then." Hannah replied, a smile trying to mask her bafflement and slight insecurity. "Bisexual… She is bisexual." She decided overlook the fact that Booth thought that Brennan's ex-dates were real scumbags, considering the fact that he held her in very high regard. The way he told that – with so much venom, also upset Hannah a little bit.

Booth wished that he had never opened his mouth and told Hannah about Bones and the _woman_ she was 'dating'. He really loved Hannah, but it was times like these that he felt that even her voice was… was… was grating at his sanity. It was times like these he wished she didn't talk. He just wanted to go to bed and sleep. That is all that he wanted to do. Or maybe he could shoot something…

"Could you please _NOT_ give labels to each and every person and thing?" Booth snapped.

"Seeley… What has gotten into you?" Hannah asked, baffled by his sudden bad mood.

"Well, forgive _me_ if I am not having the best day of my life!" Booth retorted.

"Seeley…" Hannah placed her hands on his shoulders trying to soothe him. "I get that you can be surprised and feel weird about this. But… there is no need to be… to be angry. Your friend-"

"My friend? My _friend_? Bones is more than my 'friend'. She is my best friend, she is my-" Booth suddenly stopped himself. He ran a hand nervously through his hair. "She is my… _partner_, alright? You tell your partner these kinds of stuff. That's what partners do. Okay?"

Hannah was a very tolerant woman. And pretty confident too… She didn't have a problem that her boyfriend had lots of friends of the opposite sex. But… But she was also a journalist. And so she _knows_ when someone is trying to cover something up. When someone is hiding a story. And she knew it now.

"Seeley, you are acting less uncomfortable and more jealous."

She stated it like a fact. All humor or consoling lost from her voice. Maybe it reminded him too much of Bones (the fact that she stated it like a fact) or maybe the fact hits too close to home, whatever be the reason he is suddenly on the edge… Defensive… And so he snapped.

"God! Hannah. I _really_ don't have the time to deal with your insecurities right now."

"My insecurities? _My_ insecurities?" Hannah asked, incredulously. She crossed her arms in front of her. "I have been nothing but supportive of your friendship or partnership or whatever the hell it is that you call it with Dr. Brennan. I have been supportive and was trying to be included in your gang of friends. I forgave you even though _you_ lied that you never had any romantic relationship with your colleagues. I never acted jealous or possessive. And you don't have the time to deal with _my insecurities_? I hate to point it out, but the fact IS YOU ARE JEALOUS, Seeley." Hannah said, jabbing her finger into his chest to prove her point.

"I'm not jealous! I'm just a little surprised, alright? And maybe feeling a little betrayed that Bones _forgot_ to tell me the fact that she's bisexual."

"Seeley… Are you a homophobe?" Hannah asked, sounding a little concerned.

"What? No! Okay? I'm just… _surprised_. Unpleasantly surprised. Just… _Jesus_!" He sighed. "Can we not talk about this right now?" Booth asked, standing up. Trying to put some distance between them…

"No, we can't." She replied.

"What?"

"I said I wanted to talk about this. You are acting really strange today. Okay, I get the fact that you felt uncomfortable. But this is just…"

"I just had a bad day, alright? It was a tough case."

"Seeley, you and I, we both know your bad day isn't about the case."

"Oh yeah, _obviously_ you know better than me what caused my bad day." Booth snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't be deliberately obtuse, Seeley Booth. I _know_ when you are lying. I know _**you**_, okay?"

Something in that sentence snapped something inside him. "No, you don't!" Booth roared. "You don't know _many_ things, Hannah! So, _don't_ go around acting you know me like the palm of your hand or you know why I act the way I do. Because you don't! I am not jealous... I'm not. .not. But she should have told me. She would have told me… if not for-" He sighed. He didn't mean to snap at her. He just… He was just tired and wanted to go to bed and clear his head. "Listen-"

"No, _you_ listen, Seeley." Hannah said, drawing herself closer to him. "You tell me _now_ if you ever had a relationship with Dr. Brennan. Because, you may not accept it but you ARE acting jealous. I would _really_ appreciate it if I didn't come to know about it from someone I barely know for a week."

"Bones and I are just partners. That is all we ever were." He said slowly, uttering each word clearly. _Though we had the potential to be a lot more,_ he thought. Shaking his head, he added. "And you know what Hannah? This-" He indicated to the space between them. "-isn't going to work, if you don't trust me."

"Don't teach me lessons on trust, Seeley. You _do_ know that I trust you. Probably more than I should." Hannah replied, contemptibly. "But even a fool can see that you are not just uncomfortable with the fact that Dr. Brennan is dating a woman, but you are angry, jealous and maybe even a little bit hurt. And the fact remains that-"

"To HELL with your facts." He yelled. He had had more than his share of facts and fact-loving women in his life. He couldn't deal with anymore. As he looked at the stunned face of Hannah, he realized how he had just reacted. And, he was pretty surprised with his reaction too…

He was happy with Hannah. So why can't he let Bones be happy with someone else? Man or woman? He was happy with Hannah. So, shouldn't he be happy for Bones too?

_Jesus!_ He felt incredibly tired. He just wanted to go to sleep and deal with the world later. Right now, all he wanted was to plunge into his bed and leave out all the rest. He didn't want to discuss Bones's sexuality with Hannah. Neither did he want to analyze whether he was jealous about it. Nor did he want to understand how this affects Hannah. He just wanted to shut out her voice and… He wanted to freeze the world and have a moment for himself. A moment to breathe… Not trying to figure out the meaning of different relationships in his life. He just wanted a moment. One simple moment…

As he turned to the bedroom, Hannah called out to him. "We're _not_ done discussing this, Seeley."

He hated the fact that she called this 'discussing'. Why can't she just call a spade a spade and agree that they were arguing? Why did she have to use all 'shrinky' words such as 'discussion' for argument?

He turned around to her and said. "Well, _I'm_ done." And with that he walked back to his bedroom.

. . . . . . .

Angela sighed. "I swear to God! If that guy makes just one more snappy comment, FBI agent or not, _I am_ going to take him down. Probably shoot him with his own gun."

Brennan looked at her best friend, mortified. "While I concede that Booth's incessant requests to 'get it done faster' is annoying, he's just trying to ensure a quick justice, Ange. It is hardly enough to compel you to cause fatal physical harm to him."

"Hyperbole, sweetie. I wasn't serious." Though she wasn't joking around, either.

"Oh…" Brennan replied. "That is… reassuring." She continued examining the bones to discover any anomaly that she may have overlooked earlier.

A pause. Comfortable.

Angela smiled. "So, how is the dating thing going?"

"What dating thing?" Brennan replied, not lifting her eyes from the bone she was inspecting.

"You know… The one with that semi-naked woman in your apartment?"

This time she did look up with a perplexed glance that barely masked her irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you, Ange? Ruth and I are not dating. And at no instance of time was she ever 'semi-naked' in my apartment."

"Uh-huh?" Angela answered, disbelievingly.

"I am not dating her, Ange. She and I are just… I-I'm just…" Brennan struggled to find the right words, which was strange considering the fact that she had a vast vocabulary. Seeing, Angela's amused and I-told-you-so smile, Brennan shook her head. It was disconcerting to know that she couldn't exactly define what was going on in her life anymore. She settled for stating what she _did_ know. "I AM NOT." After a brief pause, she added. "We are just conducting a social experiment concerning -"

"Ah… Potato, Po-tah-to." She puts on an air of nonchalance. She delivered her verdict. "Dating. Plus, that is what Jack and Cam thinks."

"You discussed my personal life with my colleagues? I hardly think that is conducive to a professional working environment."

"Oh come on, Bren… Don't be a Clark Edison! We always share our life with Cam, Jack and Booth. They are more than our colleagues… They're our-"

"Family?" Brennan offered at the same time as Angela said "Friends."

Angela looked a little surprised at Brennan's definition of all of their relationships. _Family_. She smiled her Sweetie-I'm-proud-of-you smile as she agreed. "Family."

"Well…" Brennan looked decidedly uncomfortable as she offered an explanation. "Well, Booth always said there is more than one kind of family."

"He is right." Angela smiled. "We are a family."

Brennan changed the topic still uncomfortable with the fact that she just admitted that her colleagues were more than her colleagues and also by the weird proud-of-you smile Angela was putting on. "I still do not understand why he is so disconcerted by it. I can understand that I offended his Catholic sensibility. But, you had done the same when you were with Roxie and that didn't seem to agitate him so much."

Angela rolled her eyes at her best friend's deliberate cluelessness. _If only they opened their eyes and actually looked around_. "Well, I think you _do_ know why he is agitated, sweetie. Especially considering the fact that he should technically be happy that you're dating again..."

Brennan looked at her curiously. "What do you mean by he should be 'technically happy'?"

"Oh well… You know. The usual stuff. It is easier for you to move on when your ex is also moving on rather than when they're still pining over you or grieving their loss. It is easier and more comfortable when you're both with other people and happy."

"But I am not Booth's ex."

"Yeah…" Angela tilted her head to one side and gave a half-shrug. "But, you two were… close."

Brennan pondered over this new piece of information for a while before nodding her head and saying, "Oh."

"What 'oh.'?" Angela asked, before understanding dawned on her. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no…"

She shook her head and her finger empathetically. "No, NO. Listen, Booth is _NOT_ comfortable that you're dating someone else, Brennan. It won't be easier on him. Or on his relationship with Hannah. That was _NOT_ what I meant. The stuff I told was only applicable on couples who really did fall out of love and who _really_ did move on. Not… Not for you guys. That… That-That was not what I meant."

"Booth has moved on." Brennan replied, without thinking.

"No, he hasn't, sweetie."

Brennan felt uncomfortable. "I-I have work to do, Ange. I am yet to find COD."

"Bren, Honey. You can work on Cause of Death later. The stuff I said, it just… It just isn't applicable to you guys, sweetie. I-" Angela paused. And after contemplating it, she just grinned and added. "You know what? When I come to think of it, there is no actual harm in letting Booth think you're dating a woman. Actually, in the long run, it might even prove useful."

Baffled by her friend's sudden change in stance, Brennan said. "I do not understand your logic."

Angela just beamed at her and said, "Well, what can I say? An artist works in mysterious ways."

Still baffled. "I thought it was God. God works in mysterious ways."

"Yeah. Well, sweetie, _both_ of them do, okay?" And with that she gave a grin and was positively beaming when she left the room.

Brennan was unsure what had caused the sudden change in her friend's attitude and mood. _Maybe it is the pregnancy,_ she thought.

. . . . . . .

"What have you got for me?" Booth asked as he climbed up the steps to the lab and swiped his card.

"If you mean whether I have acquired any additional evidence pertaining to the case that will help us solve the case, we haven't found out anything that we didn't know yesterday." Brennan replied, still inspecting the burnt remains in front of her. "I am still working on the COD and Dr. Hodgins is still working on 'becoming the King Of The Lab'. His words, not mine."

"You still haven't found the Cause of Death?"

"I'm working on it, Booth. It is not that I'm deliberately withholding finding it."

"I know. But I need this evidence, Brennan." Booth replied, irritably. "I need it."

Brennan forgot to breathe for a moment. The words from his mouth seemed to clamor in her brain like bullets ricocheting. _But, I need this evidence, Brennan. _A seemingly innocuous statement seemed to coil around her neck and choke her. _Brennan… Brennan._ That name seemed so foreign to her as she heard it from _his_ tongue. He called her 'Brennan' not 'Bones'. He always called her Bones. She was Bones… She was Bones for him. That was what she was to him… She was Bones…

"I-I…" Brennan wanted to say something. Anything… But it was like suddenly the whole lab, her whole world had crashed down right before her eyes and she couldn't do anything about it. She had never felt this way… something so drastic happening so suddenly. Not when he left for Afghanistan, not when he introduced Hannah to her, not when he told her he was in love with Hannah… Maybe because those decisions weren't so sudden… Maybe because she could see it coming.

And quite irrationally, quite illogically, she wanted to run. She wanted to bolt for the door. It was almost a childish urge but her legs desperately wanted to break into a sprint. She felt the corner of her eyes sting. _Not now… Not now, Please don't cry now… Remember to breathe… Inhale… Exhale… _And if she were not this upset, she would have probably laughed at the absurdity of the situation. Here she was standing in the middle of the lab, frozen… with weird urges to run and cry at the same time, all because her partner… _her professional partner, work partner_… called her by her _given_ name rather than a moniker she hated initially.

"Bren? You alright?" She could feel a female voice asking her and then she could feel her presence. _Angela!_ It was so ridiculous how that simple question nearly made her break into tears.

"I-I have to go." Brennan finally managed to choke out after losing her vocal chords for what was probably one full minute.

"What? Where?" Booth asked, utterly baffled by the sudden change in her mood.

It was scientifically impossible, but it seemed like his mere voice could cut into her more deeply than anything else, right now. "I have plans." Brennan replied, keeping her voice steady, not quivering. Lies… Lies were what could save her right now. "I-I have a date with Ruth. I forgot about that. I-I'm already late." And with that she snapped off her gloves and walked out of the lab as fast as she could without running, even though her brain was screaming at her to _RUN!_

"Bren?"

A confused voice asked from behind.

"But… But…" Booth stuttered.

Brennan turned around. "I-I'm busy, Booth. Do not follow me." She ordered with as much conviction as she could, and watched hurt & confusion colour his face, before heading for her apartment.

. . . . . . .

Angela Montenegro-Hodgins was many things… Does she have a weird sense of humor? Yes. Does she think celibacy sucks? Yes. Was she afraid of commitments? Yes. Did she believe in living in the moment? Yes. Was she abso-fricking-lutely in love with her husband? Yes. Was she looking for a vicarious bit of gossip that probably made her smile too? Yes. Was she stupid? _No._ _HELL NO!_

Angela Montenegro-Hodgins was never stupid. At least not when concerning her best friend Brennan. She _knew_ that something was wrong the moment her best friend practically ran out of the lab platform. Booth was not the only one with gut feelings. She had a knack for knowing these things too. So, when Angela walked into Brennan's office to find her cell phone there, she swore to herself that she would (_in a very Booth-like manner_) would interrupt her 'date' with the other woman and hound her till she unwittingly tells what bothered her in the first place. Funny, how some things doesn't go exactly as planned.

"Hi, you must be Ruth. I'm Angela Montenegro. Brennan's friend." A murmur of approval at the other end of the line.

"She left her phone with me and I had to tell her something _really_ important, it's about the case we're working on. So, could you just give the phone to her? It won't take longer than a minute."

After few confused murmurs.

"What? What do you mean she's not with you? She told me that she had a _date _with you." Angela asked, as it dawned on her. "_**Oh shit**_! She must be in her apartment." Angela exclaimed before hanging up the phone despite the incessant 'hellos' coming from the other end of the line.

. . . . . . .

Brennan was not the kind of woman who would ditch her work just like that because she was feeling down. She was not the kind of woman who let her personal life take control of her professional life. She was the kind of woman who could control her emotions and store her emotions somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind and deal with them later when she had the time and energy to do so. She was the kind of woman who could compartmentalize. But, compartmentalization was becoming a lost art for her these days.

She knew that she would feel pathetic and miserable for a few hours. But unlike before, she wouldn't get over it after a few hours. Now, after a few hours all she could feel was defeat. A quiet acceptance. This is how it is, she couldn't control anymore. She couldn't control the situations, she couldn't control what she felt… She just… She just lost control. And she accepted it. That is all she could do these days. She quietly accepted whatever came in her life. Some would say that she had given up. She just accepted defeat. But, she would say that she just grew wise and learnt that some things you just can't fight.

The thing is "Bones" was so much more than just a nickname. It was a sign of affection and it was a sign of their connection. She was 'Bones' to him and he was 'Booth' to her. That was what they were. She was Dr. Temperance Brennan to everyone else but to him she was Bones. Bones, one of world's leading forensic anthropologist who was partner to a certain FBI agent, who was his son's village, who would do anything to help him. She was Bones for him, not Brennan. She was Bones…

. . . . . . .

_Booth's grandfather calls him "Shrimp." Booth seems to like it which I don't understand._

_Well 'cause it makes him feel loved. Like when he actually was a shrimp._

_So the moniker is a sign of affection._

_Very good, Brennan. You never had a nickname?_

_Oh, no. Just what Booth calls me. Just...just "Bones."_

. . . . . . .

She still remembered her conversation with Angela. Moniker – a sign of affection. 'Bones' was a sign of his affection, his love… And to hear him call her by her given name made her feel like she lost his affection, his love… _Well, duh._ But, it was more than that. It felt like he had forgotten all those times she was Bones. All those times when he called her Bones. All those times when he used that single word - 'Bones' and it meant so much more. Sometimes it was a reprimand, sometimes it was a way of arguing, and sometimes it was plea to talk to him, to open up to him… She was Bones. She was accustomed to being Bones. Accustomed to being Bones _for him_. She didn't know how to be Brennan for him. She didn't know… And most part of her didn't _want_ to know… She wanted to be Bones. The Bones who cared for him and loved him… She didn't know how to change. She wasn't good with change… She couldn't change. She didn't want to change. She wanted to remain _Bones_ forever. And as soon as that thought formed in her mind, she dismissed it as ridiculous. _Nothing can last forever_. And she knew that, she _really_ did. But somewhere along the line, she forgot it… because of a man named Seeley Booth.

And as she sat in her couch staring at the opposite wall indifferently, she was brought back from her introspection by relentless knocking at her door. Now that she came to think of it, maybe the knocking had been going on for last ten minutes or so. She just hadn't noticed. She ran her hand through her face listlessly. _Not now!_

. . . . . . .

Angela was knocking at her door for the past seven minutes. _Make that eight_. And right now, she had lost her patience and was literally pounding at her door. "Sweetie, I know you are in there and I know something happened. I don't know what happened, but Bren, whatever it is, we can work it out. Just open the door, honey."

Still no response.

"Listen, Bren I swear to God, if you don't open the door, I'm gonna call the cops." Angela sighed. _Dammit! What happened?_ She was fine a few hours before and Angela could think of nothing that happened that would upset her _so_ much. She was gonna renew her threat with an added clause of calling Booth too, when she heard a pair of footsteps behind her. She turned around to see a pair of legs, definitely feminine legs, climbing the stairs.

"Hi" came a rather shy but husky voice. "We've not met. I'm Ruth Berkely."

"Angela Montenegro." Angela replied, while giving a questioning glance to her as to what she was doing here.

"I was… well, worried after you called. So just came to check what happened." Ruth offered as an explanation.

After an awkward pause she continued, "So… what happened?"

Angela knew that the woman was just trying to help and she shouldn't feel any animosity towards her, but the truth is she _did_. Okay, maybe not animosity but hostility. And slight, just slight envy. Not envy per se, but rather resentment at the fact that someone who isn't exactly in their circle (_or family, as Brennan called it_) was trying to become close.

"Well, it's alright. Nothing big enough for you to worry about." Angela replied with a smile as she tried to say it in a friendly tone.

"Doesn't look so."

Angela just ignored that comment and once again pounded on the door. "Bren, open the door or I am really gonna call the cops." When no response came from the other side, she said, exasperated, "Just tell me what is wrong, Sweetie."

Still no response. Angela was about to keep true to word, when she heard a more tentative knock on the door from the woman beside her. _As if that is going to help!_

"Temperance? It is okay if you do not want to discuss what is upsetting you. But just open the door, so that your friend here can rest assured that you are okay and doesn't get an aneurysm."

Angela was actually astonished when she heard her door unlock and could see a slightly ruffled but fine Brennan open the door and remark, "I'm fine, Angela. I do not know under what basis you misconstrue my actions that you concluded that I'm not well."

Angela stepped into her apartment and so did Ruth. Angela's suspicions were confirmed when Brennan didn't correct Ruth as to how one cannot get an aneurysm like that. Also, her voice lacked that clear definition and confidence that Angela has come to recognize as something distinctly Brennan.

"Bull." Angela replied. "You and I, we both know something is not alright and I need you to tell it to me. I can only help, if I know what is wrong, Bren."

"There is no need for any '_help_', Angela" Brennan informed, making air-quotes as she said the word _help_. "I'm fine… I'm good. Nothing is wrong."

"Bren, you left the lab in a hurry telling you had a date with this woman here, which I later find out is false. So, don't tell me nothing is wrong."

"I-" Brennan pursed her lips in an uncharacteristic sign of nervousness. "I had thought that the date was today but later found out that I had just… miscalculated. But, by that time I had reached my apartment and since I… I was already tired; I decided not to go back to the lab."

"Wow! Didn't know you started lying." Angela retorted.

"Yeah… that was a terrible lie." Ruth agreed. Upon earning a curious glance from Angela, she added "What? Only you are supposed to remark on the lie?"

"I-I" Brennan tried to come up with some sort of excuse. "I have work to do. My publisher is pressing me for the next manuscript and I have yet to complete it. So-" She sighed. "I would appreciate it if you would go." She added as an afterthought, "Both of you."

"No, Bren. Something is wrong and I am not leaving till I know what it is. I am your best friend. You should tell me these things. " Angela huffed, crossing her arms.

"Temperance, I think she is _right_." Ruth added and expecting the onslaught of denials she continued. "Let's look at it objectively. Firstly, whenever you say your problems out loud to someone, you get a clear definition of what the problem is rather than identifying it as a mish-mash of emotions in your head. This helps you solve it. Secondly, Angela is your best friend and she knows you very well and she can offer you a different perspective on the matter and offer you a solution that would be acceptable to you as well. Two heads are better than one." She smiled. "I can help too, if you want me to."

Something about what they said put Brennan on the edge, and she was defensive. "I have already told you nothing is wrong. There is NO problem. I-"

"That's bullshit, sweetie and you know it."

"Listen, something is wrong and everyone in this room knows it, maybe if you-"

"I have to meet my deadline. I have work to do-"

"Brennan, PLEASE-" Angela interrupted her.

"Temperance, you should-"

"Nothing is wrong."Brennan said frustrated. "I just have work to do. I have commitments excluding lab, too. I am also a best-selling author and my publisher-"

"_Listen to me_, Bones-" Ruth cut in, exasperated. Trying to get her to listen. What she didn't expect was the ring of a small slap reverberate in the room. Causing silence to descend… Her cheeks stung.

Angela looked aghast as Brennan looked at her hand unbelievingly. It wasn't a big slap, nothing that would bruise later. It was a small one, which could easily have been misconstrued as a pat to the cheek. It wasn't the strength of the slap that horrified her but rather the act itself, because she never wanted to do it. Brennan hadn't meant to slap Ruth. She wasn't even that angry at her. It was just that suddenly everyone was speaking and asking her to talk about her 'problems' and she was arguing and trying to get them to listen and suddenly Ruth had called her '_Bones_' and something stung inside her and she slapped her. It wasn't intentional; it was more like a reflex to being called by that name. _Bones_…

She had been thinking about it. And how Booth called her 'Brennan' instead of 'Bones' and she was hurt and she was trying to figure out what that meant ad suddenly Ruth called her 'Bones' and she snapped. It was a reflex… She didn't mean to do it…

Brennan's voice shook as she said, "I-I'm sorry." She ran her hand through her hair. "I-I…" Biting her lips, she seemed to come to a decision. "I-I would really like you to le-leave. Both of you. _Please_." It seemed more of a request than an order. More like a plea…

Both other occupants of the room walked numbly and quietly to her door, probably still shocked by what had happened.

Just before going out the door, Ruth suggested, "Just… Just talk to Booth, okay? Talk to Booth about whatever it is. Talk to him."

Brennan locked her door as soon as they stepped out. She slid down the door and sat on the floor, her knees drawn up and her head resting on her knees. She wrapped her hands around herself as if trying to protect herself from what had happened.

"I'm Bones…" She whispered to the stagnant air of her empty room, her voice breaking up.

. . . . . . .

As they heard the door lock behind them, the two women looked at each other. An awkward glance.

"I-I have to go." Ruth remarked.

"Yeah." Angela nodded, a little more empathetically than necessary . "Yeah… Yeah, Me too."

A smile trying to mask the awkwardness of the situation.

They both climbed down the stairs.

. . . . . . .

Booth sighed as he waited for her. He sat there absently, drumming on the steering wheel of the SUV. As he thought about the previous day, his felt more and more impatient. Something had been wrong… Bones was upset as she walked (or _ran_) from the lab. Everything in his gut had told him something was wrong and asked him to follow her. But his brain told him that he shouldn't. He decided to listen to his brain for once.

Things hadn't been easy with Hannah either. He had apologized to her for his moody behaviour. He had told her he was just stressed. It was just that right now, with the case and everything he was under a lot of pressure and was tired and they could discuss anything she wanted later. He had apologized profusely and she had agreed and it was solved. _But he still wonders when he started saying 'sorry' when he didn't mean it and when he started lying to the women he loved_. Truth be told, he wasn't sorry. He didn't feel so. He just didn't want to discuss his and Bones's relatio-partnership with Hannah. He just didn't want to discuss their history. What was so wrong in that?

He sighed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that _something_ was wrong in that.

He heard the door open and then slam shut as Brennan took the seat beside him. She looked uncharacteristically tense and just as he was about to start the engine, she turned to him and said, "I want to talk to you, Booth."

Booth turned to look at her. She still looked impeccable as always, but _he_ could see that she hadn't slept very well and was anxious. Her slightly glassy eyes told him that whatever they were going to be talking about wouldn't be a very cheerful topic. He gulped. _Better get it over with_. "Yeah, go ahead." He edgily replied.

Silence filled the SUV. He was about to talk once again, when she blurted out, "You called me _Brennan_ yesterday."

"What?" _Oh no! So that was what- _He was such an idiot. "Oh, Bones… I didn't mean-"

"I-I want you to call me Bones." She replied, albeit in a low voice. "I-I want to… I want to _be_ Bones."

"Oh, Bones. I really didn't mean to call you that. You're always Bones…" _Shit! He was an absolute blubbering idiot to call her Brennan_. "You're always Bones to me."

She looked up to catch his eye. "I… I know that many things have changed. I know that our partnership has changed-"

"Bones, I-"

"Let me finish, Booth." She persisted. "It is important that I say this, now. I-I know that change is inevitable. And now that you are in a serious committed relationship, many things would change."

Booth groaned, "No, Bones. I-"

"Listen to me, Booth. Though many things had changed and many things would change, I want you to know that our partnership is still _very important_ to me." She placed her hands on top of his on the steering wheel, as she tried to convey what she felt. "Our partnership is still very important to me and you are important to me. And-And though there would be changes, I still want to be _Bones…_ I still need to be Bones to you and I still need you to be Booth. I-I"

"Oh, Bones… Listen, I am sorry, ok? I _am_ _so so so _sorry." He said staring back into her cerulean eyes as he tried to convey how truly sorry he was. She was hurt and it was his fault! "I didn't mean to do this, Bones. I know I have hurt you. I am so sorry. And you-you will always be Bones to me."

He smiled. A real smile across his face after a long time. Holding her hand between both of his, he added, "I-I… Our partnership is important to me too, Bones. I- … And though it may seem to change, it will hold, Bones."

"But…"

"No buts, Bones. We will hold. I _know_ it."

She looked at him with that innocent expression he adored and giving a slight smile, she asked, "Because we're the centre?"

He smiled; amazed that she still remembered all the stuff he had told her through the years. And the sheer relief in her eyes was enough to make him want to hold her for the rest of his life and make sure nothing changed. Quite stupidly, he could feel his eyes sting, "Yeah…" He rasped. "Yeah, Bones. _**Because we're the centre**_."

And with that, against his better judgment he pulled her in for a hug. And holding her close, he swore to himself that he'd never be a stupid jerk again. God! He had messed up big time. But he _knew_ they'll hold. Because they're the centre… They should hold…

And some part of his mind pointed out the contrast to him. How he honestly felt like crying when he knew that he was the cause of her hurt. He was so truly sorry about it. If he could go back in time and retract that single statement, he would. At almost any cost… And though he was a man who was sincere and apologized truly for his faults, he wondered why he couldn't muster a sincere apology to Hannah.

. . . . . . .

Booth sighed as he walked into Cam's office. He knew he had been a jerk. He knew the team was going very smoothly. And he knew he needed to apologise to Cam, for being angry at her for something she never did.

"Cam?"

"Agent Booth… What brings you here?" Cam asked with a false cheerfulness, knowing Booth would get it.

"Oh, come on, Cam… I'm trying to apologise here."

"And I should make your work easy?"

"Listen, I know… I know I haven't been in my best behaviour."

Cam crossed her arms and raised one eyebrow, "Really?"

"Okay, Fine! I had been _slightly_ jerk-ish. And I snapped at you for something you didn't do, and I am sorry for that. I guess I was confused a little bit and I took it out on you guys."

Cam felt a slight smile tug at her lips. "Apology accepted."

Booth smiled back at her. "Thank you."

"So, what brought about this sudden realization?"

"Yeah, well…" He shrugged. "I just… Well, Bones and I had a-"

"Ah… Dr. Brennan" Cam smiled.

"What does that mean?" Booth asked waving his forefinger in front of her face. "You've got this weird expression."

"Nothing… It's just... Have you noticed how you tend to better yourself for Dr. Brennan?"

"What?" Booth answered. "That's not true."

"It is. It isn't very obvious, very subtle. But it is true. I have known you for many years Seeley and you are a better man now. And… And I guess we would have to thank Dr. Brennan for that."

"No, I-"

"Okay… When exactly did you accept that you had a gambling addiction and decided to do something about it?" Cam said with an expression that was usually present on Brennan's face when she got a mummy.

"Well… I…" Booth stuttered. "That doesn't prove anything."

"Of course, it doesn't." Cam replied, sarcastically. "Anyway, can I now rest assured that you won't bite the heads off our interns?"

"I did not do that. And… wipe that smug look off your face, I feel like I am looking at Sweets."

Cam chuckled at that. And as he turned around and walked out of her office, she called out, "Welcome back, Booth."

Booth peered through the doors and replied, "It feels good to be back."

. . . . . . .

* * *

A/N: Yay! End of Jerk-Booth! ^_^

Really sorry for the late update, hope the long chapter made up for it. *Phew* (This was the longest chapter I had written till now.)

Soon: A double date? Wouldn't that be _disastrous_?

Please leave a review… It would make my day…


	11. Author's Note

**AUTHORS NOTE**

**

* * *

**

**A/N: Sorry... I know I'm not supposed to do this. But I would just like to say that I'm posting another story "Revelations in The Sessions". It is a pre-100****th**** episode fic. And so, it doesn't have much of the angst, but has drama, romance and humor. So, anyone looking for a break from all the angst could read it. ^_^**

**It is basically on our favourite non-couple's sessions with Sweets. And what happens if they actually start revealing their feelings? A smug psychologist, a flustered FBI agent and a clueless anthropologist… What more could you want? Hope you'll like "Revelations in The Sessions" [B/B, Rated T]**

**Hope you'll read and enjoy it. And if you did, could you please leave a review. **

**And sorry if you thought this was another chapter and I disappointed you. Don't worry the next chapter would be up soon. **


	12. The Trouble in The Double Date

A/N: So So So terribly sorry for the late update. I was busy with exams, personal life crises and family functions (though that is no excuse). I hope from now on, I can update weekly…

For those who are interested I'm writing two other fics "Revelations in The Sessions" and "Of Life and Love". The first one being fluffy and light-hearted while the latter being angsty and slightly more philosophical. If you are interested or have lots of free time, please read them and leave a review… ^_^ It makes my day.

I am trying to overcome some MAJOR writer's block and I'm not quite sure whether I succeeded. Due to which, this chapter maybe lacking in quality. So, I'm warning you beforehand. Let me know if you thought the chapter sucked though.

For those who haven't noticed, I'm from India. India as in 'Bollwood movies', ' Hot Samosas', 'Monsoon Rains'- India (Hence my affinity to drama) . So I have no actual idea about dating or double dating. So if at any moment in the story, you are going 'WTF?'. Please forgive me; I would blame it on the lack of knowledge about Western Culture.

Also, I had told you Booth was going to suffer. Well, he has a fair dose of misery in this chapter. After all the pain he has given to our beloved Bones I would say this is only fair. Let me know, if you want Booth to suffer more though.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. No copyright infringement intended.

Plea to anyone who is listening: For heaven's sake, Puh-lease… Retract season Six!

Onto the story… Hope you enjoy it…

. . . . . . .

* * *

THE TROUBLE IN THE DOUBLE DATE

* * *

. . . . . . .

Angela Montenegro-Hodgins sighed for the hundredth time that day. She was nearly on the edge of pulling her hair out in frustration and then taking Booth's gun and shooting at random things. She knew something had been wrong with Brennan. The way she ran away from the Jeffersonian, the way she slapped Ruth… Angela just _knew_ that something had been terribly wrong. And she was worried, her best friend slipping off into god knows what and there was nothing she could do… She didn't even know what was wrong…

She sighed as she ran her hand over her belly protectively. _All this worrying is not good for the little one,_ she thought. But what to do? The little one has got a really stubborn woman as her aunt… Angela smiled at the thought of Brennan teaching her child all the different bones in the body or maybe Jack teaching the baby about different creepy crawly insects. He/ She would definitely grow up to be a 'squint'. She was sure of that…

Her thoughts returned to Brennan. She seemed much better today. It even felt a little bit that the heavy weight that she used to carry on her shoulders these days was lifted, at least partially today. She smiled at Angela as she said her usual 'Good Morning, Ange'. That is a good sign, right?

But no matter how many times Angela asked her what had happened, she didn't answer. At least not truthfully. She had just brushed it off saying she was stressed yesterday because she had quite a good load of work to be done and that was the cause of her irrational behaviour. She had said that she was sorry for her actions yesterday and she has conveyed the same to Ruth. _Yeah, stressed about work, my ass_. Truth be told, Angela was slightly annoyed that Brennan didn't confide to her these days. She was her best friend! She was supposed to tell her these things, dammit!

Behind her someone cleared her throat. Angela turned around to see Ruth standing at the door of her office.

"Hi." An awkward smile.

Angela smiled back. "Hey there."

"I was just looking for Temperance's office. You know… Ju- just to let her know, it was alright."

Angela nodded. "Yeah. Right." Another nod. "So, she apologized to you?"

"Yeah… She-She sent me a mail." Ruth replied, stepping into her office.

"A mail?"

"Yes, it was more like a formal apology thingie, you know." Ruth smiled, shaking her head. "So she sent a mail saying she had acted very irrationally and that she deeply apologises for her misconduct. She wasn't in a rational state of mind and feels sorry about that. She hopes that I would accept her apology but would understand if I didn't and will hold only respect for me in her heart."

Angela chuckled. "That sounds like Bren, alright." She said, amused. But then defending her best friend she added, "She really cares you know. She really is sorry. She just can't express it like the others do."

"Yeah, I know."

"Underneath the icy exterior beats a very warm heart." Angela added.

"Very warm, indeed. And a huge one too." Ruth added.

"That's right."

"I gotta go. And meet Temperance. Have a nice day." Ruth said as she headed for the door.

"Yeah, you too."

Just as she reached the door Ruth turned around, "Oh, by the way, did you find out what she was upset about last night?"

Angela shook her head negative. "Nah, I couldn't find out a thing. She's a closed book. But, _you_ might get something out of her though."

"Wait…" Ruth's smile faded. "What does that mean?"

"What does 'what' mean?"

"That little comment in the end…" Ruth once again stepped into her office.

"Oh… Nah. Nothing. It was just- Nothing." Angela shook her head negative and waved her hands, slightly flustered.

"Well, I may not be a cop, but I know there is something there."

"No... No, it's nothing. Really nothing."

Ruth just stood there her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised.

Angela sighed. "Its-just… Its-" She sighed. "I-I get _worried_, you know. A lot of things are happening in Bren's life and it feels like I'm not included."

"Well-"

"No, it's not even that. Brennan includes me in EVERYTHING in her life. It's… it's not that. It's more like… She has a lot going on in her mind and even though she has _always_ been a closed book, she is even more so these days. And she has a lot going on in her mind, in her heart… And I don't even know what it is. I-" Angela sighed and rubbed her face with her palm. "I-I wanna know what is happening. I wanna know what's in her mind and I want to help her with it. I just don't want to keep guessing what is wrong, you know? I want her to tell me. So that I can help. It's- It's like she has to fight this huge battle but I don't know what that is and I can't help. I want to help. I-I want to make sure she's okay. I get worried, you know. I want her to be alright."

"Maybe… Maybe she has some things that she needs to figure out on her own." Ruth offered.

"Yeah, right." Angela smirked. "That's why she talks to _you_."

"So…" Ruth paused, biting her bottom lips. "You-You're jealous?"

"I'm not, ok! I'm not jealous… I'm- I'm a good person and I just want her to have lots of friends. I am okay if she makes new friends. It's not that… It's-" Angela exhaled sharply.

Taking a deep breath, she continued slowly, "It's… I am her best friend of six years, logically, _logically_, shouldn't she feel that it is more beneficial to confide in me than… well, you?"

Ruth pondered over it for a moment before replying, "Logically, yes. She should feel more comfortable and confide in you. But, I think, we both know that she has left her logic behind, for some time now…"

"Yeah…"

"And, I don't know what you are jealous of. I mean, come on…" She said angling her head to one side. "You are her best friend. You two are practically sisters…"

"Yet, she doesn't tell me these things." Angela opened her mouth to tell something a few times. "I-I.. You know what. It doesn't even matter. I'm not the one at focus here. I mean I have everything, Jack and our baby. Bren is-She's the one having a tough time. I shouldn't be whining like a 9 year old."

"Exactly." Ruth replied snapping her finger.

"What? That I shouldn't be whining?"

"No… That Temperance is the one having a tough time. And sometimes the reason why we don't tell our friends about what is going on inside our little heads is not because they aren't close enough. It is because they are too close."

"Huh?"

"I think, and I know I'm not a great thinker or genius, but let's just hear me out here. I think, she is not telling you about what she feels because A, obviously she's not exactly wear-your-heart-on-the-sleeve-kinda person and B, you're _too_ close. You know her like the back of your palm."

Angela put on an amused smile. "Really? That's your defense? _Too close_?"

"Yes, and you know what? It makes the most sense too. See, if she comes and tells me the greatest guy on earth came and proposed to her and she turned him down, I would just say 'oh'. But you… You would probably know both her and the guy. You would know what they did for her. And let's just be honest, you would poke and probe until you get reasons why she did that because you care. But the thing is, the reason why she probably did that was because she got scared. And in the end, she'd have to reveal her fears and insecurities… you know. And no one, and when I say no one I mean _no one,_ wants to say aloud their fears and insecurities. Because the moment you do that, it becomes real…"

Angela smiled and gave a noncommittal shrug, "I guess that _is_ true."

"You are damn right it is." Ruth stated, earning a chuckle from Angela.

"But, she's my BFF, you know. By definition, best friends are supposed to be the ones who knows your fears and all and helps you with it. She shouldn't be hiding them from me."

"That is true. But since when have humans not been paradoxical?

Angela laughed. "True."

Ruth smiled too but then her smile slowly faded and she had a somber look. "Just… look at yourself Angela. You are married to the guy you love and… I guess you're having his baby?"

Angela grinned. "That's right, little baby Montenegro-Hodgins."

"Oh, Congratulations, by the way."

"You're welcome."

"As I was saying, you are married to the guy of your dreams, you're having a baby together, you work in a job you love and you've got friends as colleagues. You… You-You have got your _happy ending_. And not many people get that, trust me." Ruth smirked. "And people like me and Temperance; we're still a looooooooooooooong way from it. We're the ones who aren't even _close_. We're the ones who are just trying to pick ourselves up when life kicks you down. We're the ones who are trying to heal their broken hearts. And… No offense, but people like that, people who are broken-hearted, doesn't tend to associate themselves much with people who are living their happily-ever-afters. It… It just reminds us of what we've lost."

Angela slowly smiled.

"It's just…" Ruth sighed. "Sometimes, a broken-heart needs another broken one to get itself fixed."

"Yeah, I get it." Angela nodded, then added with a sly smile of hers "So… who broke _your_ heart?"

Ruth grinned. "Ah… wouldn't you like to know?"

"Oh come on… It's the wish of a dying woman."

Ruth chuckled as she replied," "You're not dying."

"Okay… That of a pregnant woman."

"Nuh-uh. Curiosity kills the cat." Ruth nodded 'no', smiling amusedly.

"Yeah, but… I'm not a cat."

Both of them smiled at each other for a few seconds. Ruth asked, "Seriously, though. We're good?"

"We're good." Angela replied. "It was just the hormones speaking. I get, I donno, agitated and angry and frustrated and sad and worried too easily these days."

"Yeah, I-I better do what I came here for."

"Yeah, you do that." Angela exhaled loudly. "And… how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Make strangers confess to you or something… you know, I don't usually stay stuff like this to people I don't know very well."

"What can I say? It's one of my special powers."

Angela stated. "You know what? I didn't like you at first, but now… Now, I guess, first impressions don't really matter."

"Glad to know that I have your approval. Anyway, gotta go. Have a nice day." Ruth said as she walked out the door.

"Yeah… You too." Angela called out, before sitting in her chair and smiling to herself.

* * *

. . . . . . .

"Hi." Brennan offered awkwardly when she saw Ruth standing at her office.

"Hi there…"

She drew a breath. "Listen, I would like you to know that I-I am deeply remorseful for how I acted. I-I was obviously not in a rational state of mind and I acted quite irrationally. I didn't mean to-to… hit you but… It happened and I-… I apologise profusely. I'm so sorry, I-I didn't mean to. I really didn't."

"Yeah, I got that. I got your mail."

"Yes, I know you did. I-I just… I just wanted to apologise verbally."

Ruth smiled. "Well, apology accepted. I shouldn't have… you know, called you 'Bones' either."

"Really? You accept the apology?" Brennan asked confused.

"Yes, really. Though I would appreciate not getting slapped in the future. So, don't go around thinking that you can do it again." Ruth joked.

"Yes, of course. Why would you think I would want to slap you again?"

"No, it was a-" Ruth smiled. "It doesn't matter. I just wanted to let you know that apology accepted. You're forgiven. But, on one condition."

"Which is?"

"Have lunch with me?"

Brennan smiled. "Just let me get my coat."

. . . . . . .

They were walking out the door of the lab with Brennan zealously explaining various de-fleshing techniques when they heard a distinctively masculine booming voice.

"Bones? Where are ya?"

Since promising his Bones that 'the center will hold', Booth had been thinking of ways to include her in his life. He had realized that maybe it was true that he had been slowly cutting Bones off. But he didn't want to do that. He missed his best friend. He wanted his Bones back. He wanted their friendship and their partnership back. He wanted them to be old 'Bones and Booth'.

So, here he was trying to balance their partnership without jeopardizing his relationship with Hannah. They were supposed to be having lunch together and despite her earlier insecurities (_which Booth now admits to himself was justly caused_) Hannah was amiable to the idea. So, he and Hannah was here to pick Bones up and head for lunch. But, seems like fate had other plans as he watched his favourite brunette describing some squinty stuff to a person he has instinctually come to dislike.

"Booth…" Brennan noticed the solid bulk of a man standing before her and a blonde beauty beside him. "Hannah." Brennan nodded as a form of greeting. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"We were going out for lunch together, Bones. Remember?" Booth ground out.

"Oh." Brennan said as she looked at Ruth. "I'm sorry. I had made plans and I forgot. I-" Brennan sighed. Ruth had forgiven her for slapping her and all she asked for return was a lunch. How could she deny that? She turned to Booth and asked hopefully, "I forgot, Booth. I told Ruth I'd go for lunch with her. Maybe we can do this some other time?"

Booth hadn't uttered a word. He was still reeling from the shock that Bones had chosen her girlfriend over having lunch with him. Granted, it was more like lunch with Hannah and him, but still… Quite painfully, he realized how Brennan must have felt all those times he chose to engage in 'satisfaction of biological urges' with his girlfriend over hanging out with Bones and his friends. He still hadn't spoken when Ruth spoke.

"Temperance, it's alright. You go have fun with Agent Booth and… Hannah? I can… you know, always have dinner with you, later." Ruth chuckled and added, "And if I'm lucky, a midnight snack."

"You know what? Why don't you join us?" Hannah offered, smiling.

"Really?" Both Booth and Ruth asked at the same time.

Hannah shot Booth a look before turning to smile at Brennan and Ruth. "Yes, really. That is, if it is ok with you."

"No-" Ruth shook her head. "I don't think that would be a-"

"I insist." Hannah persisted.

Ruth just looked at Brennan who just shrugged and said, "Yeah, sure… Why not?"

Both of them shook their head 'yes'.

"That's great!" Hannah exclaimed clapping her hands together. "It would be like a double date."

Behind her she didn't notice Booth flinch and Brennan suddenly finding an interest in the floor tiles.

. . . . . . .

The ride to the restaurant was a tense and silent one. If anyone seemed unaware of the waves of discomfort and hostility in the SUV, it was Hannah. As though, by some mutual but silent communication by the two partners, they avoided The Royal Diner. Booth tapped on the steering wheel irritated. He was just trying to make things better. The last thing he wanted right now was to go on a sorta-double-date with Hannah & him and his partner & her girlfriend! Things were definitely not going as he wanted… _Since when had the universe actually given him what he wanted anyway?_ He thought bitterly.

As they were entering the restaurant, Ruth was about to hold the door open while Booth jumped in at the opportunity and held the door open for the three ladies to pass through while smiling a little condescendingly at Ruth. She just rolled her eyes.

They were ordering when Brennan entered into her infamous debate of vegetarianism vs. non-vegetarianism. Only the other debater was not the one who usually argued with her over these things.

"Eating meat is highly unhealthy, Ruth. You should be really watching what you eat."

Ruth smiled, knowing she had meant no harm. She was just stating the obvious bluntly in a typical Brennan-way. "It's alright. I'll just burn the extra calories on a treadmill."

"The assumption that regular exercise can compensate for an unhealthy diet is a faulty one. You should have proper diet as well as exercise for a healthy life."

"Oh, come on, Temperance… You must have liked meat at some point in your life."

"Yes, I did, in fact. When I was young I was quite fond of non-vegetarian food. But over time, I realized the repercussions in health due to continued intake of meat. And hence, I became a vegetarian."

"Not everything is about health. Sometimes, it's just-" Ruth shrugged. "It's about the taste."

"I never understood the implication that vegetarian food is not tasty. To the contrary-"

"Temperance, you have to admit. Meat tastes waaaaaay better than those measly vegetables."

"That's not true." Brennan argued. "Also, considering the fact that you like animals, shouldn't you become a vegetarian?"

"Yes." Ruth agreed, nodding vigorously. "I _do_ like animals. In fact, I like them everywhere. Even on my plate." She said, flashing a smile.

"I find that quite hypocritical of you." Brenna retorted.

"Who said I was _not_ hypocritical?" Ruth countered.

"Well, I find that-" Brennan retort was cut short by someone clearing their throat.

"Ahem." And Booth cleared his throat once again. "Shall we order?"

Upon a slightly embarrassed nod from Bones and Ruth and a nudge to his chest by Hannah's elbow, Booth forced a smile on his face. Hannah mumbled to him, "What's wrong with you?" He just raised his eyebrows and pretended that he didn't know what she was talking about.

. . . . . . .

Booth didn't quite know what happened after that. Everything seemed to blur together. He didn't know what he or the others had ordered. He just knew that there was something on his plate and he needed to finish it. He sighed. He wished he hadn't come today. He wished that he hadn't asked Bones out for dinner or better yet he had just stayed home and called in sick. He _knew_ he had no right to be jealous or hurt, after he was the one with a girlfriend. A serious as heart attack girlfriend. Someone he loved… But the truth remains that he did… He did feel jealous and hurt. Very hurt. The little argument that Bones and that little red-head had had just reminded him of what he is missing now. He tried to remember when the last time he and Bones argued like that was. And he realizes quite painfully, that he can't remember. At least not after they returned back from opposite parts of the world… He missed that. He missed their little arguments dearly. Whether it was about Science vs. God or Meat vs. Vegetable or the pros and cons of being a parent or whether love exists or not, whatever their argument was, it was something that was theirs. It was a part of what made them 'Booth and Bones' – the best crime fighting team in America.

And he knew that he was the one who stopped it. He was the one who didn't respond even after she provoked him with 'Love is an idiot' kind of statements. He was the one who ignored it or got annoyed by it. That little ritual of theirs in which they would argue till the cows come home… Because… Because deep down, somewhere deep inside him, even though he didn't give much credence to psychology, he knew that it was their version of foreplay. It was them measuring each other, igniting that passion in each other… And somehow, he felt that it wouldn't be right anymore. It wouldn't be right anymore because he had Hannah. It would be like kissing another woman while still keeping Hannah as his girlfriend. And Seeley Booth was not a man who cheated… Though he felt that he was cheating every time he made love (_no, had sex_) with Hannah.

God, when had things gotten so screwed up? He was sitting right next to his girlfriend and he was missing his debates with Bones? He was comparing it to foreplay? What was _wrong_ with him?

"-right, Seeley?" Hannah asked looking dotingly at Booth.

That was when Booth realized that Hannah was telling some story of theirs. Feeling three pairs of beautiful eyes staring at him, he didn't know what to say. "Huh?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Weren't you listening?"

Booth chuckled nervously. "Sorry, honey… I-I kinda zoned out."

"You… zoned out?" Hannah asked turning to face Booth. Booth looked over at the other two occupants and found that they were finding this just as uncomfortable as he did.

"I-I… I'm sorry." He flashed his charm smile. And he knew, deep inside, it was just a cheap way of manipulating her. He lied once again. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about the-the case. It's a tough one and it is getting to me." He smiled apologetically and drew her face closer. "Sorry." he mumbled before planting a kiss on her lips, which slowly grew in passion.

. . . . . . .

Brennan watched as Booth mumbled sorry and captured Hannah's lips with his. She knew she could look somewhere else. She knew she _should_ look somewhere else. But with some morbid fascination she just kept her gaze fixed on the kiss. It was borderline masochistic, but she couldn't look away. She watched and with a weird satisfaction or dissatisfaction that comes along with it, she memorized each movement. And she knew how it felt because she has been on the receiving end three times. And she just kept looking as if someone was forcing her to, though the reality was quite the opposite. She felt her vision blur slightly on the edges. _No! Not now! Don't cry now._ She really doesn't know how many times she can explain unexpected tears to Booth.

And suddenly she felt a pressure on her hand. The hand she had kept on the table. She glanced sideways to notice that it was Ruth squeezing her hand, as a way to reassure her. She turns her head to face her. And Ruth just blinked at her slowly and smiled. She increased the pressure on her hand a little more. And quite irrationally Brennan felt better. Not because someone was there to reassure her. But because someone noticed... Someone noticed her pain and she knew that it meant that she too had felt it at some point of time. And that thought made that terribly alone feeling shrouding her heart to dissipate. So, she smiled back. A watery and weak smile but still she smiled back.

. . . . . . .

Booth pulled back and smiled and glanced over at the other two and felt his heart squeeze at the sight before him. It was not like Brennan and Ruth were kissing or anything. They were simply holding hands and smiling at each other and somehow (_he's not quite sure how_) that meant more than anything else.

He now had enough courage to admit to himself what he wouldn't have admitted in a thousand years. At some level, if not conscious then subconscious level, he had enjoyed kissing Hannah in front of Bones. He knew that it made him a bad person to even think that, but he did. Maybe it was because he could prove to Bones that he had moved on. But he knew that was the major part of it. Always, as he turned around after the kiss, he could see Bones uncomfortable. Sometimes, she would be smiling but he knew (_just like he knew so many things about her_) it was fake. He knew the smile she put on was fake and it gave him a morbid satisfaction that maybe Bones wasn't jealous but she definitely wasn't 'happy' about this. And he saw that fake smile and he felt better. Maybe because it meant that there may be a chance that Bones loved him back too. He didn't know why. And he wasn't going to start questioning now.

But to turn around and see Bones holding hands and looking at the other woman's eyes… He knew it didn't make sense but that somehow tore him a little bit. It wasn't right but he felt a pressure on his heart, as if someone was squeezing it. Bones was holding the hands and smiling that serene smile of hers at Ruth! It was him, it was always him… He was the one at whom she always smiled like this. He was the one whose hands she held. He was the one with whom she argued. Though Brennan had dated many men, Booth had known in the back of his mind that none of those guys _knew_ her. None of those guys actually meant something to her… None of them… Brennan was never the type for handholding or gazing into each other's eyes. But, unknowingly she did it with him… Or rather used to do it with him… It was _their_ thing. It made him feel _special_..._unique_. And though he was moving on and probably she was too, it didn't feel good at all that he was so easily replaceable. Like she, the one with the guarded heart, could find someone with whom she could hold hands or gaze into eyes. Actually, it felt like a thousand tonnes had been lowered onto his chest. Because somewhere inside his mind he thought that though Bones would date again, she wouldn't find another Booth. She wouldn't find love, or love of _their_ intensity again. She wouldn't find someone with whom she would hold hands or argue, again… Booth understood for the first time in his life, how much painful it is to realize you were wrong.

And that stupid smile the two women were directing towards each other weren't helping him either. He felt like they didn't even notice that he and Hannah had kissed. But, after all, why would they? Quite irrationally, quite _nonsensically_ he wanted to yell at both of them… He wanted to yell that he was there; he wasn't invisible or a ghost…

"Seeley, are you ok?" asked a concerned Hannah, seeing Booth become rather pale.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He smiled at a concerned Hannah & Bones and a confused Ruth.

Hannah turned to Ruth and Brennan who were once again brought to the present world by Hannah's conversation. "So where was I? Yeah-"

Booth tuned out Hannah's voice once again as he drifted through his thoughts. He glanced at his watch. He prayed to God to let his phone ring and let there be a sudden leads on the case… Anything! To help him escape this self-induced hell he had put himself into. He glued his eyes to his watch and counted the seconds as they ticked by.

. . . . . . .

Brennan could sense that her partner was uncomfortable. She tried to catch his eye and ask him in their silent language what was wrong. But he was busily avoiding her eyes. She could feel Ruth's warm fingers massaging her knuckles to reassure her. She caught Ruth's eye and flashed a brief grateful smile.

Somewhere in the restaurant someone's cell phone rang, creating a sudden loud echo of the ringtone which quite unfortunately turned out to be '_Girls Just Wanna Have Fun_'.

Maybe it was a trick of Booth's mind (_after all he had had brain tumor_) but he felt that the ringtone was getting louder and louder and the air around them heavier and heavier. He had suddenly sat up straight, memories of a night many years ago flashing through his mind. The sound of a bullet piercing skin and Bones's pleas to stay with her... He flicked his glance to Bones sitting across him only to see that she froze too. Her eyes betraying her otherwise catatonic face.

Suddenly, Ruth exclaimed, "Hey! It's OUR SONG!" She turned to Brennan and grinned. "It's _our_ song." She exclaimed again, nudging Brennan with her shoulder. She hummed the first few lines of the song while slightly rocking herself side to side. "Oh, come on Temperance. Don't you remember?"

Brennan turned to Ruth trying to mask an amused smile as she remembered that ridiculous night and their impromptu, weird & awkward dancing. And something in her gaze stopped Brennan from averting her eyes. Ruth held her gaze as she half-said and half-sang 'Girls just wanna have fun' passionately. And, for the first time, Brennan caught on to the double meaning and flushed slightly.

Brennan turned her attention back to the plate of food in front of her, slightly flustered. As if sensing her discomfort, Ruth turned back to familiar jovial teasing. She said gesturing with her fork, "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that night. Because I know you did." She looked at Brennan cocking her head to the side. "Cause nobody can do it the way I did it." She stated with uttermost confidence referring to her Michael Jackson moves.

Brennan laughed out loud at that. She shook her head trying to hide the frivolous grin that was too stubborn to hide.

. .

The ringtone had stopped for a few moments now and she is quite grateful to Ruth for creating those memories with her, for her… Still, she hears the song echo in her ears and haunted reverberations of a bullet fired melding with her screams. She just hopes that the others don't notice that her hands are shaking.

* * *

. . . . . . .

It is really frustrating to watch one's day transform from bad to the worst. Especially when there is nothing one can do about it. Booth was certain that the day could not get any worse when the cell phone rang and the notes of 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' floated to his ears. And he realized it just had gotten worse. Much worse.

It was like living through hell once again. He could still feel the joy he felt while watching Bones sing and then the utter panic he felt when he saw Pam Nunan raise her gun. He could still feel the sheer desperation and outright fear when he realized what was going to happen. He could still feel the pure relief he felt when he knew that it was his chest that was pierced by the bullet not hers. He could still feel the regret at not telling her how he truly felt about her as he felt his eyes close on its own. He still feels that regret gnawing at his heart.

As horrible as this experience is for him, he knew that it was harder for Bones. Just as he sat up straight, with his reflexes on alert, he flicked his eyes to Bones who had also frozen on the spot. He knew whatever was going to happen would not be pretty now. He mentally calculated how to tell his girlfriend about how he had jumped in front of a gun to save his partner's life.

But something utterly beyond his imagination (_or expectation_) happened. The woman that Bones is dating suddenly exclaimed 'Hey! It's OUR song!' And he felt his lungs collapse…

He painfully watched as Bones turned to Ruth and talked something and the lady nudged her mouthing the lyrics of the song. Then he saw as Bones's snagged on Ruth's. And Ruth sang 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' to her in what seemed to him as a deep timbre, a husky voice. And Bones flushed and averted her gaze. It was as if he was watching a morbid gruesome movie that he just could not close his eyes to.

And then he could see the younger woman jovially tease Bones about_ that_ night (_whatever night it was_). He could hear her talk, "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that night. Because I know you did. 'Cause nobody can do it the way I did it." He felt bile rising in his throat. It took all of his willpower to rein in his imagination and to try _NOT_ to find what that meant.

God! It was _their_ song. Okay, maybe not. '_Hotblooded_' was their song. But this song held a special meaning too. Because he goddamn fricking died in it! Okay, he didn't _really_ die. But he was pretty damn close. And to know that the song was now Bones and Ruth's song… It was a kick to the groin. It felt like he was being punched in the gut. He died in that song and she thought it was okay to make that _their_ (Bones' and Ruth's) song? Was he so easily replaceable? Did she really not feel anything when she heard it? Or had she already forgotten that he had _died_ during the song? Had his death been masked by whatever '_enjoyable_ _thing'_ they did that night? And to add salt to the injury, the double entendre wasn't lost on him either.

And quite irrationally, quite senselessly, Booth felt his throat tighten and he was sure he would choke on his food if he took another bite.

God! He ran a hand desperately through his hair. How did the day get _so_ screwed up?

. . . . . . .

He didn't know how the rest of the ordeal has passed. He doesn't even know how the rest of the day passed. It all seemed like a blur… As if he was in a trance… or a horrible nightmare he just cannot get out of. He remembers footing the bill. And as he walked out of the restaurant with Hannah, he looked back to see Ruth and Bones coming out. Ruth whispering something in her ear as Bones chuckled in response to it. And with a painful insight, he realizes Bones can laugh without him… She can be happy without him… And that stung… A _lot_.

Hannah had said she was already late and needed to run, as she kissed Seeley goodbye and caught a cab to work. Booth just couldn't bear the thought of being alone with them for even a few more minutes, so he had made some cock and bull story of new lead on the case and he had to go ASAP. As usual, Bones didn't suspect anything and said that she could take a cab with Ruth to Jeffersonian. And as they entered they cab, he saw Ruth kiss Bones on the cheek and Bones smiling in response before getting into the cab. Though doctors would say otherwise he was pretty sure his heart had twisted at the sight.

What affected him was not the sexual relationship or the dating. What affected him was the affection and mutual understanding that seemed to flow between the two women. What affected was the easy friendship and comfort between them. Something that he had monopolized with Brennan, but not anymore…

As he turned to his SUV, he felt someone tap his shoulders and turned around to find Ruth standing in front of him.

"Agent Booth." She said, as a form of greeting. Then corrected herself sarcastically, "Oh, I'm sorry. _Special_ Agent Booth."

His patience was wearing thin today and he was not in a mood to play nice. "What is it?"

"I understand that you do not like me and I'm pretty okay with that. I am not _too_ fond of you either. But I'd really appreciate it, if you did not express your disapproval or rather disgust so openly."

"What are you talking about?"

"Agent Booth" Ruth smiled. "Your scowls and frowns weren't exactly subtle. In fact, I doubt you would be having a lot to explain to your girlfriend once you reach home."

Was it true? Were his feelings so easily readable on his face?

Upon Booth's continued silence, she continued. "And it is none of my concern. I do not care. You needn't like me. I get that. I _totally_ get that. But Temperance… She-She deserves a break, alright? She deserves to be happy. And the fact is in any decision about any aspect of her life, she seeks your approval. So, you needn't be happy about me and Temperance but you needn't be so disapproving _either_. Let her be happy." And with that she turned to leave.

Booth at last seemed to find his lost voice. " I-"

She turned around to place her hands on his shoulders. "Agent Booth, either _you_ should be _ready_ to understand the truth. _Acknowledge_ it and say it to her, or you should let her be happy. Whatever that means. Whether it means her being with someone else or not. You should be happy for her." She wiped out invisible dust on his shoulders and patted his cheek before turning to the cab that was for her, smiling.

Booth just stood there dumbstruck. Wondering when life had moved so fast. _**And he realized for the very first time, how painful being happy for someone else can be.**_

_**

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A/N: *Shredding the last bit of my dignity* *Getting on knees and begging* Show some holiday spirit, be generous in your reviews…. ^_^

And an _incredibly_ late MERRY CHRISTMAS… And Hope all you guys have a HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS AND DOWNRIGHT OUTSTANDING NEWYEAR… :D


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